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Handbuch der papierchromatographie. Vol. II. Bibliography and applications
ARCHIVES
OF BIOCHEMISTRY
AND
BIOPHYSICS
96 (1961)
Book
Reviews
Name Reactions in Organic Chemistry. Second edition, revised and enlarged. By ALEXBNDER R. SURREY, Sterling-Winthrop Research Institute, Rensselaer, New York. Academic Press, New York, 1961. x + 278 pp., illus. Price $18.00. Designating a reaction by the name of its discoverer or the chief contributor to the development of a reaction has become a tradition among organic chemists. This practice, however, has been carried to the extreme by assigning names to many obscure reactions which are not frequently encountered or used. Consequently, when these reactions are referred to in the current literature by such names, these names convey no meaning to the reader. I do not mean to imply that the discoverer of a reaction should not, receive some recognition for his contribution, but that the mere use of an investigator’s name in such instances does not state what has been found and in many instances leads to confusion and further obscurity. The author has avoided such obscure reactions in his book and therefore has presented a compilation of reactions which are frequently utilized in organic synthesis and should be of considerable value to chemists and &dents of chemistry. Surrey’s judicious choice of reactions should serve as a model for listing reactions by the names of the discoverers. This book is not simply a compilation of name reactions; much more than this has been accomplished. More than one hundred name reactions have been treated giving pertinent examples, the scope and limitations of the reactions, general procedures for carrying out the reactions, mechanistic interpretations of the path of the reactions, and recent important bibliographical data. The inclusion of biographical sketches of the investigators adds historical interest to t,he book. Each subject is treated briefly but with accuracy and clarity not often found in a treatise of t,his size. This book is a well-written comprchensire account of a wide variety of subjects. Carefu! revisions and additions of new matrr;al have contributed immensely to the ,mprovcment, of this work. Surrey is to be congratulated for compiling a compact volume which contains much information of value to organic chemist,s. WILLIAM
A. HILLS,
Washington,
D. C.
Handbuch der Papierchromatographie. Vol. II. Bibliography and Applications. Edited by I. M. HAIS and K. MACEK. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena, 1960. xxiv + 726 pages. Price DM44. The long-expected second volume of Hais and Macek’s Handhuch der Papierchromatographie has now been published. Although t,he date of publications is 1960, the literature has been mainly reviewed for the period of 1943-1956. Volume II of the Handbuch is principally a reference work divided int,o three sections: (1) Bibliography, (2) Authors’ index, (3) Compound index. according to the authors’ The bibliography, preface, is limited to important new developments in the field of paper chromatography. Furthermore, the subject matter is restricted to cellulose, modified cellulose, glass paper, etc. but does not cover column chromatography, fraction collection, or capillary analysis, except the historical aspects of the last. Literature citations are arranged by subject matter in chapters which follow, in the main, the organization of Vol. I of this treatise. Several subjects have been added as separate chapters, e.g., radioactive substances. Each chapter follows a systematic scheme, for example : Carbohydrates A. Review Articles B. Technique 1: Relationship between structure and R, 2. Preparation of sample ,3. Det,ection 4. Solvents C. Application 1. Bound carbohydrates in microorganisms 2. Plant Materials 3. Animal Materials 811 references, 10,290 of them, are consecutively numbered. The title of the cited reference (in English, French, and German) is sometimes amplifird with a simple sentence describing its significant, contribut,ion. The authors’ index refers to the number of the cited reference in the bibliography. This reviewer sometimes quest,ions the significance of an authors’ index, except that it might satisfy the ego of a reader to find his name in an index. A det,ailed alphabetical list of chemical com550
BOOK ponents comprises almost 100 pages. Compounds are list,ed by their chemical or “common” name and refer to one or several papers on the subject. Only those compounds whose structure is known and which have been clearly separated by paper chromatography are listed. Volume II should be useful even by itself. The reader whose knowledge of German and French may be sketchy will find this present work a great aid in locating :I particular paper which yinay be buried in the literature. Frequent revisioris of this book will be eagerly anticipated by research workers in the chemical and biological sciences. GUNTER
ZWEIG, Davis,
California
Symposia on Comparative Biology of the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute. Vol. I. Comparative Biochemistry of Photoreactive Systems. Edited by MARY BELLE ALLEN, Director, Laboratory of Comparative Biology, The Kaiser Foundation Research Institute, Richmond, California. Academic Press Inc., New York, N. ‘I-., 1960. xii + 437 pp., illus. Price $12.00. This volume contains 26 papers presented at a symposium de\-oted to widely varied aspects of the biochemistry of photoreactive systems. The papers vary in extent from brief research reports to excellent reviews of pertinent topics. The symposium provides a sampling of current research concerned with the involvement of light in normal biological processes. Phenomena in which photoreactive pigments are implicated are covered in papers on phototaxis b) S. Bendix, photosensitivity of sea urchins by N. Millot, light> response of the sea anemone by W. J. North, and photoperiodism by S. B. Hendricks. Discussions on the nature and distribution of known or potential photoreartivc pigments inc*ludc papers on algal carotenoids by T. W. Goodwin, plant-derived animal pigmrnts by D. L. Fox, algal c~hlorophylls by M. 13. Allen. C. S. Frcnrh, and J. S. Brown, pigments as phylogtnetic’ markers hi E:. C. Dougherty and M. B. Urn. two chlorophylls of green bacteria hy R. T. Stanier, pteridines in plants b,v F. T. FVolf, a new leaf pigment by H. M. Habermann, fossil pigments by J. R. Vallentyne, and comparativcl studies on the structural organization of plan1 and animal phot,oreceptors by J. J. %‘olkcn. The organic chemistry of certain pigments is covered by papers on previously uncharacterized chlorophylls by A. S. Holt and H. V. Morley, and and phycobilins by C. phycoerythrins ?hEocha. Pigment biosynthesis is discussed in papers on
551
REVIEWS
carotenoids by G. Mackinney and C. 0. Chichester, on algal carotenoids and chlorophylls by J. M. Anderson, U. Blass, and M. Calvin, on protochlorophyll by L. Bogorad, and on protochlorophyll-tochlorophyll phototransformation by J. H. C. Smith. Discussion on mechanisms of photosensitized reactions is limited to consideration of photosynthesis in papers on action slbectra of photosynthesis and accessory pigments by F. T. Haxo, automatic rc,c*ortling of photosynthetic ac.t ion spectra by C. S. French, J. Myers, and G. C. McLeod, action spcsctra of chromatic transients in algnr by I,. R. Blinks, the possible chemical participation of c~hlorophyll in photosynthesis by IV’. Vishniac, the iml)lication of a phot,ooxidant ecluivalent to oxygen in t ht, bac~tcrial phoiometabolism of aromatic c*ompounds by S. Scher and M. H. Proctor, I proposed mechanism by which hcmatin rompounds are involved in an early stage of the photosynthetic process by M. D. Kamen, and the fluorescence of chlorophyll as related t,o energy transfer mcchanisms of photosynthesis by G. Rcbcr. One, of the chief values of this kind of comparative compilation is to expose thr reader to useful concepts which he might not meet in the pursuit of his special interest in photobiology. ROBERT Cr. BAHTSCTI,
La Jolla.
California
Chemobiodynamics and Drug Design. By F. W. SCHUELER, Chairman. Department of Pharmac*ology, Tulane Univemity, New Orleans, Louisiana. McGraw-Hill Book Coml)xny, Ne\v York, 1960. 638 pp., illus. Price $19.50. Dr. Schurlcr has, without doubt, accomplished the objective set forth in the preface of this volume. in which he has stated that, the author wished to provide :I T-olume which would serve as a iextbook for students interested in the rrlationship between chemical constitution and pharmacologic activity. He has made the reading of involved acientifir reasoning a plrnsur:rble clxperirnre rather than an arduous chore. He has :~c*coml)lished in scic,ntifica wl,iting thfl injection of a warm and plrasnnt personality and at thP same time has cxposed to the reader thr breadth and depth of his knowlrdgr in the fields of chfmistry and pharmacology. .i logical approach. and srquPntin1, stc’pwisr illumination of the relationship bctwecn structural rhangcs and artivit,y modificationi-: are lucid and pointed. The introdurtion of thr basic knowlcdgr> for the tlrrelopment of each concept serves as the prologue for each conrrpt presented. Interrelationships hx~c hem carefully pointed out and examples cited in all the important areas of modifi-
OF BIOCHEMISTRY
AND
BIOPHYSICS
96 (1961)
Book
Reviews
Name Reactions in Organic Chemistry. Second edition, revised and enlarged. By ALEXBNDER R. SURREY, Sterling-Winthrop Research Institute, Rensselaer, New York. Academic Press, New York, 1961. x + 278 pp., illus. Price $18.00. Designating a reaction by the name of its discoverer or the chief contributor to the development of a reaction has become a tradition among organic chemists. This practice, however, has been carried to the extreme by assigning names to many obscure reactions which are not frequently encountered or used. Consequently, when these reactions are referred to in the current literature by such names, these names convey no meaning to the reader. I do not mean to imply that the discoverer of a reaction should not, receive some recognition for his contribution, but that the mere use of an investigator’s name in such instances does not state what has been found and in many instances leads to confusion and further obscurity. The author has avoided such obscure reactions in his book and therefore has presented a compilation of reactions which are frequently utilized in organic synthesis and should be of considerable value to chemists and &dents of chemistry. Surrey’s judicious choice of reactions should serve as a model for listing reactions by the names of the discoverers. This book is not simply a compilation of name reactions; much more than this has been accomplished. More than one hundred name reactions have been treated giving pertinent examples, the scope and limitations of the reactions, general procedures for carrying out the reactions, mechanistic interpretations of the path of the reactions, and recent important bibliographical data. The inclusion of biographical sketches of the investigators adds historical interest to t,he book. Each subject is treated briefly but with accuracy and clarity not often found in a treatise of t,his size. This book is a well-written comprchensire account of a wide variety of subjects. Carefu! revisions and additions of new matrr;al have contributed immensely to the ,mprovcment, of this work. Surrey is to be congratulated for compiling a compact volume which contains much information of value to organic chemist,s. WILLIAM
A. HILLS,
Washington,
D. C.
Handbuch der Papierchromatographie. Vol. II. Bibliography and Applications. Edited by I. M. HAIS and K. MACEK. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena, 1960. xxiv + 726 pages. Price DM44. The long-expected second volume of Hais and Macek’s Handhuch der Papierchromatographie has now been published. Although t,he date of publications is 1960, the literature has been mainly reviewed for the period of 1943-1956. Volume II of the Handbuch is principally a reference work divided int,o three sections: (1) Bibliography, (2) Authors’ index, (3) Compound index. according to the authors’ The bibliography, preface, is limited to important new developments in the field of paper chromatography. Furthermore, the subject matter is restricted to cellulose, modified cellulose, glass paper, etc. but does not cover column chromatography, fraction collection, or capillary analysis, except the historical aspects of the last. Literature citations are arranged by subject matter in chapters which follow, in the main, the organization of Vol. I of this treatise. Several subjects have been added as separate chapters, e.g., radioactive substances. Each chapter follows a systematic scheme, for example : Carbohydrates A. Review Articles B. Technique 1: Relationship between structure and R, 2. Preparation of sample ,3. Det,ection 4. Solvents C. Application 1. Bound carbohydrates in microorganisms 2. Plant Materials 3. Animal Materials 811 references, 10,290 of them, are consecutively numbered. The title of the cited reference (in English, French, and German) is sometimes amplifird with a simple sentence describing its significant, contribut,ion. The authors’ index refers to the number of the cited reference in the bibliography. This reviewer sometimes quest,ions the significance of an authors’ index, except that it might satisfy the ego of a reader to find his name in an index. A det,ailed alphabetical list of chemical com550
BOOK ponents comprises almost 100 pages. Compounds are list,ed by their chemical or “common” name and refer to one or several papers on the subject. Only those compounds whose structure is known and which have been clearly separated by paper chromatography are listed. Volume II should be useful even by itself. The reader whose knowledge of German and French may be sketchy will find this present work a great aid in locating :I particular paper which yinay be buried in the literature. Frequent revisioris of this book will be eagerly anticipated by research workers in the chemical and biological sciences. GUNTER
ZWEIG, Davis,
California
Symposia on Comparative Biology of the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute. Vol. I. Comparative Biochemistry of Photoreactive Systems. Edited by MARY BELLE ALLEN, Director, Laboratory of Comparative Biology, The Kaiser Foundation Research Institute, Richmond, California. Academic Press Inc., New York, N. ‘I-., 1960. xii + 437 pp., illus. Price $12.00. This volume contains 26 papers presented at a symposium de\-oted to widely varied aspects of the biochemistry of photoreactive systems. The papers vary in extent from brief research reports to excellent reviews of pertinent topics. The symposium provides a sampling of current research concerned with the involvement of light in normal biological processes. Phenomena in which photoreactive pigments are implicated are covered in papers on phototaxis b) S. Bendix, photosensitivity of sea urchins by N. Millot, light> response of the sea anemone by W. J. North, and photoperiodism by S. B. Hendricks. Discussions on the nature and distribution of known or potential photoreartivc pigments inc*ludc papers on algal carotenoids by T. W. Goodwin, plant-derived animal pigmrnts by D. L. Fox, algal c~hlorophylls by M. 13. Allen. C. S. Frcnrh, and J. S. Brown, pigments as phylogtnetic’ markers hi E:. C. Dougherty and M. B. Urn. two chlorophylls of green bacteria hy R. T. Stanier, pteridines in plants b,v F. T. FVolf, a new leaf pigment by H. M. Habermann, fossil pigments by J. R. Vallentyne, and comparativcl studies on the structural organization of plan1 and animal phot,oreceptors by J. J. %‘olkcn. The organic chemistry of certain pigments is covered by papers on previously uncharacterized chlorophylls by A. S. Holt and H. V. Morley, and and phycobilins by C. phycoerythrins ?hEocha. Pigment biosynthesis is discussed in papers on
551
REVIEWS
carotenoids by G. Mackinney and C. 0. Chichester, on algal carotenoids and chlorophylls by J. M. Anderson, U. Blass, and M. Calvin, on protochlorophyll by L. Bogorad, and on protochlorophyll-tochlorophyll phototransformation by J. H. C. Smith. Discussion on mechanisms of photosensitized reactions is limited to consideration of photosynthesis in papers on action slbectra of photosynthesis and accessory pigments by F. T. Haxo, automatic rc,c*ortling of photosynthetic ac.t ion spectra by C. S. French, J. Myers, and G. C. McLeod, action spcsctra of chromatic transients in algnr by I,. R. Blinks, the possible chemical participation of c~hlorophyll in photosynthesis by IV’. Vishniac, the iml)lication of a phot,ooxidant ecluivalent to oxygen in t ht, bac~tcrial phoiometabolism of aromatic c*ompounds by S. Scher and M. H. Proctor, I proposed mechanism by which hcmatin rompounds are involved in an early stage of the photosynthetic process by M. D. Kamen, and the fluorescence of chlorophyll as related t,o energy transfer mcchanisms of photosynthesis by G. Rcbcr. One, of the chief values of this kind of comparative compilation is to expose thr reader to useful concepts which he might not meet in the pursuit of his special interest in photobiology. ROBERT Cr. BAHTSCTI,
La Jolla.
California
Chemobiodynamics and Drug Design. By F. W. SCHUELER, Chairman. Department of Pharmac*ology, Tulane Univemity, New Orleans, Louisiana. McGraw-Hill Book Coml)xny, Ne\v York, 1960. 638 pp., illus. Price $19.50. Dr. Schurlcr has, without doubt, accomplished the objective set forth in the preface of this volume. in which he has stated that, the author wished to provide :I T-olume which would serve as a iextbook for students interested in the rrlationship between chemical constitution and pharmacologic activity. He has made the reading of involved acientifir reasoning a plrnsur:rble clxperirnre rather than an arduous chore. He has :~c*coml)lished in scic,ntifica wl,iting thfl injection of a warm and plrasnnt personality and at thP same time has cxposed to the reader thr breadth and depth of his knowlrdgr in the fields of chfmistry and pharmacology. .i logical approach. and srquPntin1, stc’pwisr illumination of the relationship bctwecn structural rhangcs and artivit,y modificationi-: are lucid and pointed. The introdurtion of thr basic knowlcdgr> for the tlrrelopment of each concept serves as the prologue for each conrrpt presented. Interrelationships hx~c hem carefully pointed out and examples cited in all the important areas of modifi-