Each ~ n h,).~ .tt title pa:" ruhich list< rhc
It is organized around the
book reviews
chapter relevant. The chapter is then divided
into sections, each section treating an objec-
tive outlined a t the beginning of the chapter.
Each ohiective is treated seoaratelv. There is
single objective, there is an exercise, con-
sisting of one or two questions, designed to
test thestudent on his masteryof thissectinn,
thereby allowing the student toaccess his or
her own progress.
Questions appear at the end of each chap-
ter. These are thought-provoking hut should
he answered easily if the student has assimi-
lated the material presented. They seem to
cover adequately all the concepts discussed.
Answers are pmvided for all questions.
Marginal notes are pmvided to indicate the
subject of most chapters and to provide an
easv reference. Diaerams are used freauentlv
considerably.
This is a very readable text. I t proceeds
very logically and does not attempt to aver-
whelm the reader. T h e treatment relies upon
mathematics as little as possible. It appears
to this reviewer that this is a "student's"
textbook and one that he or she will enjoy
using. At the same time, all the topics neces-
sary for a course of this type arecovered fully
and adequately. Those looking for a text to
use in a first year course for those students
entering the health science field should con-
sider this text. Students will like it.
Rev. Addison Yehl
Gannon College
Erie. PA 16501
Higher Grade Chemlstry
loin M. Duncan, Heinemann Educational
Books, Ltd., London, 1978. iii + 185 pp.
Fig. and tables. 23.2 X 15.5 cm. $6.25.
A numher of important points about this
paperback book can he made from the Note
to Teachers. While the hook is designed for
pupils in the Scottish "H" Grade, and per-
haps other p o s t - " 0 level courses, its greatest
use in this country will be in high school and
. -
will offer no problem, except perhaps a ref-
erence to the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth as
QE2. T h e abbreviation p.d. tor potential
difference is not adequately defined.
Theohjeetives asstated by theauthorsare
"to present patterns rather than unrelated
facts" and "to clarify the difficult and key
concepts." In a style much like texts written
atoms and the mole, one unit on chemical
bonding, three units on energy, equilibrium,
and electrochemistry, one unit on kinetics,
two units on periodicity, four units on organic
chemistry, and one uniton nuclear chemistry.
The book has noappendix, no periodic chart,
and no table of atomic numbers and atomic
weights. T h e index is sufficient.
A56 / Journal of Chemical Education
organic chemistry.
d unit a w r l > t . ~ wik\a..
~ u p w ~ & w l u pi n~ the
knowledge assumed. In most cases the as-
sumed previous knowledge is reasonable, hut
there are a few exceptions. For example, the
first unit on atoms and the mole assumes fa-
miliarity with molarity. A number of self-
tests are fnund in each unit with reasonable,
but searchine auestions. About half the
on why responses are right or wrong.
Only the simplest of mathematics is re-
quired. Simple stoichiometry, Hess's Law
problems, electrochemical cell potentials, and
bond energies comprise almost all the nu-
merical problems in the text. Little to no at-
tention is paid to significant figures. All nu-
merical examples and answers to problems
were found tn be accurate. However, answers
to some conceptual questions are question-
able, and a m e t i m e s misleading. I t can he
argued, though, that the answersare suitable
for students for whom the book is written.
T h e textual material also contains some
misleading statements, mast of which could
be corrected by minor wording changes. A
more serious problem is the author's asking
students tc, calculate the potential of the
electrochemical cell, K/K+(.,,lMgZ+(.,~lMg.
Only one chemical equation was detected to
be in error, but it should not hinder stu-
dents.
In the introductory remarks, the author
points out that some unusual approaches to
the subject matter are presented. He further
states that some might find his method of
naming organic compounds unacceptable.
. .
Comoounds such as 2-orooanol and 2-
methyl-2-butene are named propan-2-01 and
2-methylbut-2-ene.
T h e book is attractive inside and out. The
cover has the feel of a rough-textured vinyl
wallpaper and should prove very durable.
The experience of the author with students
for whom this book is written isdemonstrated
in the short, simple, easy-to-understand
sentences and the large number of very good
diagrsms. T h e author's approach to the
subject matter and his technique of re-
minding students of key concepts frequently
will help students understand and retain the
material.
Instructors of chemistry may find more
value in this book than students for two rea-
sons. One is theauthor's practical and simple
methods of presenting the subject matter to
students at this level. T h e more important
reason is that the large numher of fine graphs
and diagrams will give chemistry teachers
pointers on how to better construct their own
graphs and diagrams to illustrate and to
communicate chemical principles in a simple
manner.
Edmund C . Shearer
Fort Hays State University
Hays. KS 6760 1
Organic Chemistry
Ralph J Fessenden and Joan S. Fessen
den, Williard Grant Press, Boston, 1979.
+
iv 1040 pp. Figs. &tables. 26 X 18 em.
$24.95. Study Guide: 214 pp. $4.95.
This textbook is very similar to a number
of other texts written for the year course in
traditional functional group approach that,
in the words of the authors, "provides a
framework for learning." The first two
chapters include a review of atoms; mole-
cules, orbitals, and honding. In Chapter 3,
nomenclature of the major classes of organic
compounds is introduced and is followed by
alkanes. Chapter 4 is a discussion on steren-
chemistry. Alkyl halides and substitution and
elimination reactions are covered in Chapter
5. Mechanisms and energy profiles are first
presented in connection with the discussion
of S ..
w 1.. 8 ~. 2. .E l and E2 tvoe
. , reactions. Aleo-
holq, r t l w r . and rolatcn r~.tupt.jndi hcgdn
\\it11 ('h.>pt~r-. ('h?pl+r R i q n I I I I U C A I mt.on
infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic
resonance. Beginning with Chapter 9 there is
a series of chapters based on functionality
and includes unsaturated compounds, am-
maticity, aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic
acids, acid derivatives of carboxylic acids,
endates and carbanions, amines and poly-
cyclic and heterocyclic aromatics. Chapters
17, 18, and 19 are also topical covering car-
hahydrates, amino acids and proteins, and
lipids and related natural materials. The final
chapter provides a brief introduction to other
kinds of spectruscopy and light associated
phenomena not covered earlier.
Althoueh ir and nmr is not covered until
spectra are used rather consistently
throughout most of the remainder of the
book. T h e spectra are clear and easily read.
The nmrs do not show crosshatching and in-
tegration curves, hut the numbers i f hydro-
gens at each chemical shift are designated by
Arahic numbers. Althoueh this simolification
may he helpful in getting students through
the early pitfalls of spectra interpretation,
they should be expected to cope with spectra
hecauseit is obtained experimentally.
There is telescoping of material in some
chapters. Telescoping is especially p m -
nouneed in Chapter 7 which coversalcohda,
epoxides, inorganic esters of alcohols, phe-
nols, thiols, sulfides, and sulfonates. Phenols
are presented in 3 pages with some additimal
phenol chemistry scattered in other places in
the book.
T h e authors have used a very descriptive
style with little use of experimental evidence.
At times one gets the feeling that perhaps
only the bare minimum of what is usually
covered in a year course is included. Most
bases are touched on this score, but many of
the tooics are discussed onlv brieflv.
and tables. Mast pages consist of about half
visuals. T h e publisher's choice of using black
print over shaded areas, a technique used to
draw attention to atoms or groups under
discussion, was a poor one since clarity has
been compromised.
One strength of the book is the number
(authors claim 1181 unsolved), kinds, and
manner in which problems are handled.
There are "sample" problems within the first
15 chapters with solutions-not just answers.
Also distributed within all chapters are
"study" problems with answers-not solu-
tians-in the back of the book. This type of

book reviews
orohlem varies in number f m m ahout 10-20
a good mix of answered and unanswered
problems if the study guide is not availahle t o
students. This suggestion is pwhahly a con-
tradiction of the reason for the study guide.
Many of the pmhlems are appropriately of
t h e drill type.
Recognizing that many students in the
introductory organic chemistry class have a
major interest in biological fields, the authors
have drawn examples liberally from these
mer chemistry is covered in 6 pages withsome
scattered paragraphs in various chapters on
nylon, polyurethanes, orlon, and polyesters.
Students will find the brief 1-2 page chapter
summaries useful learning aids as well as the
20 page appendix on nomenclature.
After reviewing the book, one is left with
the impression t h a t if students could not
learn organic chemistry from this text then
there is not much hope for them. For the
chemistry major, one might wish for more
rieor and detail than is found in this text.
Non-maims mav find that the maximum has
Lowell E. Weller
University of Evansville
Evansville, IN 47702
Mastering Organic Chemistry: A Problem-
Solving Approach
G m d d W Gibson, W. B. Saonders Ccm-
+
pany, Philadelphia. 1979. iii 563 pp. Fig.
& tables. 26.5 X 19.5 cm.
T h e purpose of this ho<,k01'pnrhlems is l a
assist the heginning organic chemistry stu-
dent in mastering the suhject. Skills which
have been emphasized are ( a ) I'nxturt p r e ~
diction in reactions ( h ) Selection ,rfsynthetic
reagents, and (c) Discrimination of isomers
"in chemical reactions. Lesser emphasis has
been given to nomenclature and mechanistic
pmhlems. Both common and I W A C n m -
enelatures are given, hot some ad,iustment
will need t o be made if a text which uses
current Chemical Ahstrarts type nomencla-
ture is used in nmjunetion. Though few
prohlems deal directly with mechanism, fairly
detailed mechanisms are given for must im-
portant organic reactions using generalized
alkyl groups. (For example, Hoffmann, Cur-
tius. and Reekmann reactions and the
~ r n d t - ~ i s t esynthesis
rt are c w e r d in de-
tail.)
T h e organization of the secticms is along
functional group lines. Stereochemistry
(Sections 3 and 5) is intmdured early as are
alkyl halides ( 4 ) . T h e spectroscopic section
comes a t the end and is concerned a l m ~ t
equally with.ir and nmr. Ilienes (10) ewers
some MO theory and is followed hy electrw
cyclic reactions (11). Aromatics (12) deals
mainly with electruphilic sohstitutimx Al-
A58 I Journal o f Chemical Education
dehydes, ketones, and earhoxylir arids l1:l.
14) are follcwed hy a special section o n cnr-
txn-carhrm hcmd fwmntiun whirh cwers the
most used nmdensntirm reartims (15). A
shwt scrtirm entitled aryl nitl.ugen c m -
pvunds which deals mainly with diazmium
rhemistry (17) fcdlws amines (16). Aryl
oxygen deriwtives (18) e w e r s quimmes and
phenolics. T h e final sections deal with sulfur
and phosphwus, amino arids peptides-prw
teins, carbohydrates, and s p w t r r w w y as
mentionrd a h w e .
Within earh section there we swund a
dozen suhsecti<rns,earh of whirh starts with
a "statement" whirh very briefly ~xplainathe
nmcept orc,peration and whirh is fdlrwud by
a series of questicms on the left and answers
on the right of the page. IAbr~olsix tw~l-t o
three-part questions is typical.) A more
wmprehensive set of questiuns ( a r r m d 20)
is given at the end of each section, with a n -
is smc~o<h. The "stalements" tend t o he verv
ccmriseas compared trta text,and very little
explanation is given along with the answers.
Sinre answers and questions are given sidp-
ty-side, the student needs tr, rcwer up the
answers while working t he qnestiwn, and this
needs t o he more clearly e m l h s i z e d . C c w
eragr of the major areas 01' organic chemistry
was thonmgh, the most notable omission
heing dtravidet spertn,scr,gy. The accuracy
of the answers seems t o he very g w d , though
there are a numher ofohviw1s1y typographi-
cal ernrrs, especially in the intn,dut.tirm.
where a n u m l w rrferasures needs to he ecrr-
retted.
T h e elertn,cyclic, carhan-mrhon hond
I'ormation, sulfur and phmphorus and sper-
t n x n r p y sections seemed particularly well
done and the biolr,girall~-c,rientedsertims
rontained.some very g w d prclhlems on rar-
hr,hydrates and peptides frcm the standpoint
of emphasizing fundamental chemistry. This
hw,k may he recommended 10 the average
student for drillwork and 10 the ruperiur
student fix review. From the teacher's
standpoint, many of the prr~hlrmsmake fair
and reasmahle test, questions of the short
answer variety.
James L. Bloomer
Temple University
Philadel~hia.PA 19122
Physical Methods in Modern Chemical
Analysis. Volume 1
Editor: Thrrrdwe Knionnn, Academic
+
Press, New York, 1978. v 320 pp. Figs.
and tahles. 23.5 X lfi em. S33.00.
T h e review of the first volume of a new
series ohvioosly will he more than a review of
the volume; it will also he a review of the se-
ries. Is the aim of the series valid? Dves the
series deserve a place in the scientific litera-
ture?
T h e aim of this new series, "Physical
Methods in Modern Chemical Analysis,"
according t o the editor is to present a de-
scription of selected methoddogies at a level
appropriate to those who wish toexpand their
working knowledge of today's methods and
for those who wish to dpdate their hack-
grounds. T h e editor further states that the
series should he useful t o graduate students
in ahtaininga basicaverview of a widevariety
of techniques a t a greater depth than that
available from textbooks on instrumental
methods. T h e aim is valid; there is a place in
the literature of analytical chemistry for
discussions of analytical methods between
the textbook level and the level of the spe-
cialized monograph or detailed review not
only far those mentioned by the editor but
also for undergraduate students.
The first volume of this new series contains
chapters on gas chromatography, the prin-
ciples and instrumentation of mass spee-
trometry, the applications of mass spec-
trometry, fluorescence and atomic absorption
spectroscopy, and flame and plasma emission
spectrometry. The chapters are well written;
however, they d o vary in how well they meet
the aim of the series. The chapter on appli-
cations of mass spectrometry meets the aim
the best. The depth and detail are much mare
than would be found in a texthook; in addi-
tion there are over one hundred references.
Coupling this chapter with the chapter on
mass spectrometric instrumentation gives
one an extensive introduction to mass spec-
trometry and prepares one t o delve into the
topic. On the other hand, the chapter an gas
chromatography does not contain much more
material than is contained in instrumental
so, in this respect, it is more useful than most
instrumental analysis textbooks.
A series like this is especially useful when
specialized topics which are only mentioned
briefly in textbooks are included. Two er-
amples in this volume are atomic fluorescence
spectroscopy and plasma emission spec-
trometry. This volume devotes approxi-
mately five times as many pages t o atomic
fluorescence spectroscopy as a recent in-
strumental analysis textbook and also in-
cludes many references on the topic. Some of
the topics announced for future volumes,
such as photoacoustical spectroscopy, Auger
spectrvscopy, and ion cyclotron resonance,
..
are tonics which this tvoe of series can
present well. Common t o p e s such as elec-
trochemical methods w h ~ are h discussed in
many other existing volumes do not neces-
sarily need t o be included.
It is hoped that future volumes will include
complementary chapters as is the case in this
first volume. There is same overlap between
the complementary chapters on atomic flu-
orescence and ahsorption spectroscopy and
flame and plasma emission spectrometry;
however, the overlap is not excessive and
would he difficult t o avoid since different
authors wrote the different chapters.
Rased upon this review of the first volume,
this new series does deserve a place in aca-
demic, governmental, and industrial libraries.
This first volume does, and hopefully future
vdumes will, pmvide a source of information
ahout selected physical methods of analysis
for those who need adetailed introduction t o
a particular method a t a level above the in-
strumental analysis textbook level.
Alvin L. Beilby
Seaver Chemistry Laboratory
Pornone College
Clarernont. CA 9 171 1