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The chemistry of functional groups, supplement B, part 2 the chemistry of acid derivatives
Rodd’s Chemistry of Carbon Compounds, 2nd edition, Vols. III and IV. Edited by S. Coffey. Pp. 680 and552. Elsevier,Amsterdam $122.25and$126.75.
andNew
York. 1979.
Here are hvo more parts of Rodd’s well-known comprehensive treatise. Vol. III Part H is particularly welcome because it concludes the treatment of aromatic compounds and it contains a cumulative index to Parts A-H. It contains Chapter 28 (136 pp) by M. Sainsbury on anthracene, phenanthrene, and related compounds; Chapter 29 (73 pp) by H. F. Andrews on mono- and poly-benzoindanes and some compounds which also contain a 7membered ring; Chapter-30 (101 pp) by N. Campbell and H. F. Andrews on polycyclic fused systems with four to nine benzene rings. The index, containing about 30,000 headings, is very adequate. Vol. IV Part K contains Chapters 48-56 by R. S. Edmundson and J. M. F. Gagan. The volume deals with six-membered heterocyclics incorporating two or more hetero-atoms, one or more of which is Hg, B, Al, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, P, As, Sb, Se, Cl, Br, or I. It also deals with sevenand larger-membered heterocyclics containing one or more of the ‘usual’ (N, 0, S) and/or the above ‘unusual’ heteroatoms. Thus many natural products and compounds of industrial and medicinal interest are included. There is an index with about 6,000 headings. Rodd’s treatise has established itself as one of the most important reference works for academic and industrial libraries and the latest additions maintain the very high standard of accuracy and presentation. J. F. McOmie The Chemistry of Functional Groups, Supplement B, Parts 1 and 2 The Chemistry of Acid Derivatives. Edited Saul Patai. Pp. 1473. Wiley, 19 79. E55 each part.
by
Chichester.
A brief review of a long book must concentrate on essentials; fortunately we all know roughly what to expect from a new section of Patai’s great work. Here, two long.. sections on syntheses of acids, esters, lactones, and lactams by Ogliaruso and Wolfe (total 490 pages) and one on photochemistry (114 pages) by Givens and Levi stand apart from the other sixteen contributions, on theoretical treatments (58 p., Csizmadia, Peterson, Kozmuta and Robb), thermochemistry (8 p., Shaw), chiroptical properties (54 p., HtYtansson), mass spectra (54 p., Tam), complexes of anhydrides (38 p., Foster), hydrogen bonding (54 p., Hadii and Detoni), the chemistry of lactones and lactams (4 1 p., Boyd), chemistry of orthoamides (68 p., Kantlehner), detection and determination (40 p., Pritchard), radia(26 p.. MiciC and tion chemistry Gal), electrochemistry (44 p., Coleman), decarbonylation (34 p., Baird), pyrolysis (56 p., Taylor), transcarboxylation (30 p.. Ratusky), micellar effects (76 p., Bunton and Romsted), and thio-derivatives (42 p., Voss). The synthetical sections will be invaluable to many of us; a few spot checks failed to reveal the omission of methods known to the
i74
reviewer, although without doubt there must be some lacunae. The section on photochemistry, well provided with tables and diagrams, includes a clear amount of the synthesis of cyclobutadiene from photolysis of a-pyrone. The other sections amount to a set of monographs on selected topics, often rather loosely related to the main theme but well suited to browsing as well as for reference; these supplements include ‘material on more than a single functional group’. The writer was reminded of the value of Patai as a way into the literature; no chemical library can afford to be without a set. M. C. Whiting Topics in Sulfur Chemistry, Vol. 4. Thioand Dithiocarboxylic Acids and Their Derivatives by S. Scheithauer and R. Mayer. Pp. vi + 3 74. Georg Stuttgart. 1979. DM 148.
Thieme,
This study, the work of Dr S. Scheithauer and Professor R. Mayer in Dresden, provides the latest volume in a series launched in 1975 to publicise developments in the expanding field of organosulphur chemistry. The title needs clarification. The authors deal with thiocarbonyl compounds, largely derived from carbon disulphide, of the types RCS.SH, RCS.SR’, RCS.OR’, and RCS.X. Excluded by this definition are some important related species, such as thiocarboxylic acids (considered as RCOSH) and dithiocarbamates. The authors are prominent contributors to research in the area under review and they here provide the first comprehensive account of its chemistry. The subject is treated systematically under the broad headings of ‘synthesis’, ‘physiochemical and spectral properties’, and ‘reactions’. The labour which has gone into the compilation is attested by two thousand references and a hundred pages of tabulated data. Reaction mechanisms are displayed and comparisons drawn between carbonyl and thiocarbonyl groups in reactivity. Essentially, however, the book is a mine of reference material rather than a treatment of mechanistic features. It is well produced, but its high price (in spite of limp covers) may deter individual sulphur specialists. It is recommended to librarians who aim to provide an’ adequate coverage of the literature of organosulphur chemistry. R. G. Bacon Gel Chromatography: Theory, Methodology and Applications Kremmer Pp. 268.
by Tibor and Laszlo Boross. Wiley, Chichester. 19 79. f 16.50.
The chromatographic fraction and separation of large molecules on the basis of size has, over the last twenty years, firmly established itself as an analytical and preparative technique. As there are few books solely devoted to the subject, a new publication is of considerable interest. This book, a revised and translated version of a text originally published in Budapest in 1974, it divided into three sections: theory, methods and techniques, and applications. The
authors cover the gel chromatography of biological, synthetic and inorganic polymers on xerogels, aerogels, and hybrids using aqueous and organic eluents. Unfortunately, the treatment is uneven, with considerable emphasis on biological polymers and soft gels in aqueous systems: only cursory attention is given to the fractionation of synthetic polymers and to column calibration and data treatment for the determination of molecular weight distributions. Also, surprisingly, there is no mention of high performance gel chromatography which over recent years has reduced analysis time to ten minutes or less. There is extensive coverage up to 1971 of the literature on the theoretical developments and on the use of aqueous systems but post-1971 references represent only about one-eighth of the total. This book will be of most use to those interested in an account of the earlier developments of the technique and to those researchers wanting to separate biological polymerson a non-routine basis. B. Hatt
Electroanalytical Chemistry: A Series J. of Advances, Vol. II. EditedbyAllen Bard. Pp. 384. MarcelDekker, 1979.SFlOO.
New
York.
The main emphasis in this volume is the use of electroanalytical techniques in the medical field. However, the first chapter deals with charge transfer processes using semiconductors in place of metal electrodes. The large-band-gap semi-conductors such as gallium phosphide and tin oxide have been used to study redox reaction and charge transfer from excited molecules. This has led to better understanding of energy parameters and the kinetics of electrode reactions. The theory of charge and potential distribution at the semiconductor-electrolyte interface is adequately covered. On the medical side, the chapter on in vivo measurements covers cyclic voltammetry for monitoring electroactive substances; oxygen determinations in blood and tissues; and the use of liquid membrane ion selectiveelectrodes for determination of potassium and chloride ions. Manufacture of electrodes and test methods are clearly indicated with ample diagrams and references. In the last two chapters, drugs and antibiotics are analysed using polarographic techniques. The principles of the more recently developed analytical methods are discussedin clear but completely non-mathematical terms. Polarography offers the advantage of direct investigation of drugs in biological samples without the need of separating, and the presence of interfering substancescan be indicated. A large section on examples quotes information on the conditions of analysis, accuracy, etc., with an appendix on relevant bibliography. The whole book is clearly written, well presented,and should prove particularly useful for medical research workers who are interested in or seek information on electroanalytical methods. E. Franks
andNew
York. 1979.
Here are hvo more parts of Rodd’s well-known comprehensive treatise. Vol. III Part H is particularly welcome because it concludes the treatment of aromatic compounds and it contains a cumulative index to Parts A-H. It contains Chapter 28 (136 pp) by M. Sainsbury on anthracene, phenanthrene, and related compounds; Chapter 29 (73 pp) by H. F. Andrews on mono- and poly-benzoindanes and some compounds which also contain a 7membered ring; Chapter-30 (101 pp) by N. Campbell and H. F. Andrews on polycyclic fused systems with four to nine benzene rings. The index, containing about 30,000 headings, is very adequate. Vol. IV Part K contains Chapters 48-56 by R. S. Edmundson and J. M. F. Gagan. The volume deals with six-membered heterocyclics incorporating two or more hetero-atoms, one or more of which is Hg, B, Al, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, P, As, Sb, Se, Cl, Br, or I. It also deals with sevenand larger-membered heterocyclics containing one or more of the ‘usual’ (N, 0, S) and/or the above ‘unusual’ heteroatoms. Thus many natural products and compounds of industrial and medicinal interest are included. There is an index with about 6,000 headings. Rodd’s treatise has established itself as one of the most important reference works for academic and industrial libraries and the latest additions maintain the very high standard of accuracy and presentation. J. F. McOmie The Chemistry of Functional Groups, Supplement B, Parts 1 and 2 The Chemistry of Acid Derivatives. Edited Saul Patai. Pp. 1473. Wiley, 19 79. E55 each part.
by
Chichester.
A brief review of a long book must concentrate on essentials; fortunately we all know roughly what to expect from a new section of Patai’s great work. Here, two long.. sections on syntheses of acids, esters, lactones, and lactams by Ogliaruso and Wolfe (total 490 pages) and one on photochemistry (114 pages) by Givens and Levi stand apart from the other sixteen contributions, on theoretical treatments (58 p., Csizmadia, Peterson, Kozmuta and Robb), thermochemistry (8 p., Shaw), chiroptical properties (54 p., HtYtansson), mass spectra (54 p., Tam), complexes of anhydrides (38 p., Foster), hydrogen bonding (54 p., Hadii and Detoni), the chemistry of lactones and lactams (4 1 p., Boyd), chemistry of orthoamides (68 p., Kantlehner), detection and determination (40 p., Pritchard), radia(26 p.. MiciC and tion chemistry Gal), electrochemistry (44 p., Coleman), decarbonylation (34 p., Baird), pyrolysis (56 p., Taylor), transcarboxylation (30 p.. Ratusky), micellar effects (76 p., Bunton and Romsted), and thio-derivatives (42 p., Voss). The synthetical sections will be invaluable to many of us; a few spot checks failed to reveal the omission of methods known to the
i74
reviewer, although without doubt there must be some lacunae. The section on photochemistry, well provided with tables and diagrams, includes a clear amount of the synthesis of cyclobutadiene from photolysis of a-pyrone. The other sections amount to a set of monographs on selected topics, often rather loosely related to the main theme but well suited to browsing as well as for reference; these supplements include ‘material on more than a single functional group’. The writer was reminded of the value of Patai as a way into the literature; no chemical library can afford to be without a set. M. C. Whiting Topics in Sulfur Chemistry, Vol. 4. Thioand Dithiocarboxylic Acids and Their Derivatives by S. Scheithauer and R. Mayer. Pp. vi + 3 74. Georg Stuttgart. 1979. DM 148.
Thieme,
This study, the work of Dr S. Scheithauer and Professor R. Mayer in Dresden, provides the latest volume in a series launched in 1975 to publicise developments in the expanding field of organosulphur chemistry. The title needs clarification. The authors deal with thiocarbonyl compounds, largely derived from carbon disulphide, of the types RCS.SH, RCS.SR’, RCS.OR’, and RCS.X. Excluded by this definition are some important related species, such as thiocarboxylic acids (considered as RCOSH) and dithiocarbamates. The authors are prominent contributors to research in the area under review and they here provide the first comprehensive account of its chemistry. The subject is treated systematically under the broad headings of ‘synthesis’, ‘physiochemical and spectral properties’, and ‘reactions’. The labour which has gone into the compilation is attested by two thousand references and a hundred pages of tabulated data. Reaction mechanisms are displayed and comparisons drawn between carbonyl and thiocarbonyl groups in reactivity. Essentially, however, the book is a mine of reference material rather than a treatment of mechanistic features. It is well produced, but its high price (in spite of limp covers) may deter individual sulphur specialists. It is recommended to librarians who aim to provide an’ adequate coverage of the literature of organosulphur chemistry. R. G. Bacon Gel Chromatography: Theory, Methodology and Applications Kremmer Pp. 268.
by Tibor and Laszlo Boross. Wiley, Chichester. 19 79. f 16.50.
The chromatographic fraction and separation of large molecules on the basis of size has, over the last twenty years, firmly established itself as an analytical and preparative technique. As there are few books solely devoted to the subject, a new publication is of considerable interest. This book, a revised and translated version of a text originally published in Budapest in 1974, it divided into three sections: theory, methods and techniques, and applications. The
authors cover the gel chromatography of biological, synthetic and inorganic polymers on xerogels, aerogels, and hybrids using aqueous and organic eluents. Unfortunately, the treatment is uneven, with considerable emphasis on biological polymers and soft gels in aqueous systems: only cursory attention is given to the fractionation of synthetic polymers and to column calibration and data treatment for the determination of molecular weight distributions. Also, surprisingly, there is no mention of high performance gel chromatography which over recent years has reduced analysis time to ten minutes or less. There is extensive coverage up to 1971 of the literature on the theoretical developments and on the use of aqueous systems but post-1971 references represent only about one-eighth of the total. This book will be of most use to those interested in an account of the earlier developments of the technique and to those researchers wanting to separate biological polymerson a non-routine basis. B. Hatt
Electroanalytical Chemistry: A Series J. of Advances, Vol. II. EditedbyAllen Bard. Pp. 384. MarcelDekker, 1979.SFlOO.
New
York.
The main emphasis in this volume is the use of electroanalytical techniques in the medical field. However, the first chapter deals with charge transfer processes using semiconductors in place of metal electrodes. The large-band-gap semi-conductors such as gallium phosphide and tin oxide have been used to study redox reaction and charge transfer from excited molecules. This has led to better understanding of energy parameters and the kinetics of electrode reactions. The theory of charge and potential distribution at the semiconductor-electrolyte interface is adequately covered. On the medical side, the chapter on in vivo measurements covers cyclic voltammetry for monitoring electroactive substances; oxygen determinations in blood and tissues; and the use of liquid membrane ion selectiveelectrodes for determination of potassium and chloride ions. Manufacture of electrodes and test methods are clearly indicated with ample diagrams and references. In the last two chapters, drugs and antibiotics are analysed using polarographic techniques. The principles of the more recently developed analytical methods are discussedin clear but completely non-mathematical terms. Polarography offers the advantage of direct investigation of drugs in biological samples without the need of separating, and the presence of interfering substancescan be indicated. A large section on examples quotes information on the conditions of analysis, accuracy, etc., with an appendix on relevant bibliography. The whole book is clearly written, well presented,and should prove particularly useful for medical research workers who are interested in or seek information on electroanalytical methods. E. Franks