reviews the same time, has increased the number of problems and devices twhelp students and has incorporated new material In the preface two axioms are emphasized: Dont Get Bebind and Work Lots of Problems. These truths are then supported by {very large number of good problems of varying degrees of di cally: Some of the more dificult problems are designated by an Ssterisk: Reinforeement of concepts also supports the above axi- fms, After concepts are defined, the definitions often are reiter Sted on subsequent use, and roferenes is made to the earlier Presentation, Problems are then used to reenforee the concept "This edition of Wade's bock retaine the functional group ap- proach: however, there are several significant changes from the Fist edition. Stereochemistry is treated earlier (Chapter rather than Chapter 8), prior to the chemistry of alkenes and alk! hal- des. Spectroscopy aloo receives a more prominent treatment in this editon it and MS are treated Chapter Ils ah this fo lowed by a chapter that is devoted to both carbon and hydrogen NMR. UV'is not ineluded with the ether spectroscopic tools but is addressed later when conjugated systems are discussed. Afar th ‘introduction of spectroscopic techniques, problems dealing with spectra are incorporated into the treatment of subsequent func- tonal groupe. One of the outstanding fertures of Wade's books i {he exellent spectroscopic tables found inthe appendix. "The formal chapter on heterocyelic chemistry has buen removed and this material dispersed throughout the tex. The chapters on fromatic chomist+y include the typical benzanoid aromaties and also polynuclear aid hetero aromatic compounds, The approach to aromatic chemistry does an excellent job inthe reinforcement of evonance and MO theory that were introduced much earlier. This all encompassing approach to aromatic chemistry dove, however, load toa very bref treatment of benzyne chemistry and als of the addition elimination mechaniom (the Mebeenbeimer complex is ‘ot mentioned by name) "The final three chapters of this text deal with special topics. Bioorganic molecules and polymers are treated, The parallels be- ‘ewoen these systems and the simpler organic molecules treated ‘earlier are stressed. These chapters reenforee once mare such im- portant concepts as hydrogen bonding, acid-base chemistry, stere- ‘chemistry, ote ‘The study of organic chemistry requires the mastery of a new language. This book introduces & large numberof definitions and sow terms in the Srst part of the book, While formal definitions fare given and used, Wade has managed to treat these ideas and terms in the everyday language of organie chemistry, making for a ‘are personable treatment of the subject. "The numerous devices ta help the student contribute tothe user friendliness ofthis volume include fourealor printing, marginal hhints to aid in problem saving, key definitions printed in blue and key reactions highlighted hy hive check marks, and end-f-chapter reaction summaries, Essential problem-solving skills for each chapter also are summarized before the problem atthe end ofthe chapter. Nucleophiles are printed in blue and electrophiles in green. Finally.curved red arrows are used for “electron pushing” that is stressed Uiroughout this book. Tn summary, [feel that Wade has improved and updated an al- ready good organie text, He has not lost sight of his primary reader-the first-year organi student, This book should be consid- ered seriously by anyone teaching a general one-year organic ‘course to chemistry majors nd preprofesional students \W. Preston Reeves ‘Texas Lutheran Colege 1000 W. Court Street ‘Seguin, TX 78155 Organic Chemistry Experiments: Microscale and ‘Semi-Microscale ‘Bruce N. Campbell,Jr. and Monica McCarthy Al. Brooks/Cole: Pacific Grove, CA, 1994. xxxi + 553 pp. Figs. and tables. 19.2 x 24.0.m. $58.26 Campbell and Ali have written a comprehensive laboratory text for organic chemistry. There are 76 numbered experiments, many of which provide soveral choices of syntheses or reactions. Proce- ‘14 Journal of Chemical Education dures are provided for both micro and semimicro seales, Detailed directions are provided for early experiments; those for later parts of the course are more general. There are more than enough op- tions to offer a full-year laboratory sequence and provide adequate experimental skills for tho students. This text presents an admi- rable balance of techniques, syntheses, reactions, analyses, and kinetic studios, Thore aro two organie quantitative analyst periments and a full 42-page chapter on organie qualitative a is. The text als sR to prepare forthe laboratory and on writing laboratory reports Following are a few specific comments about some of the fea- tures in the tex, and some suggestions for improvement in future editions ‘There is an introductory section of about five pages on labora tory safety and eautions within the text about the use of toxic, flammable, and carcinogenic chemicals, For the most part, meets the admirable goal of teaching students how to work safely with materials that ean be dangerous. However, other than a gen- ‘eral sort of warning in the intraduetory section, they do not exe on the student about the hazards of corrosive acids and bases. 12 my experience, students are more likely to he injured by concen- trated solutions of sulfurse aed, nitrie acid, and sodium hydroxide ‘than they are to be harmed by hazardous organie chemicals. I roe ‘ommend that warnings about these hazards be inserted where ap- propriate throughout the text "The references and cross references at the beginning of the ex: periments should be quite helpful to students and instructors who ‘want more information. Many of the references are to experiments published in this Journal ‘The authors have interspersed questions in the text that chal- lenge the students to think about what they are doing and to try ‘to get them to understand the procedure before they earry it out. ‘This is an excellent feature; these would be even better if they were set off by shading or a different typeface or in some other way ‘than a simple flag in the margin. ‘The authors use many common names-vanilly] aleohol, hydro- cinnamie ac, and (amylbenzene, for example-that will mean lit- tle to the students, I think systematic names also should be provided. ‘The book has a chapter on infrared and nuclear magnetic reso- nance spectroscopy that appears to be adequate. Many organic laboratory instructors, however, will want to make a much more ‘extensive use of these techniques than is provided. Tnsummary find thisbook intriguing, Its certainly worthy ofeare fal consideration by all eganie chemistry laboratory instructors, John W. Hill University of Wisconsin-River Falls River Falls, Wi 54022 Basic Inorganic Chemistry, Third Edition Albert Cotton, Geoftrey Wikinson, and Pau! L. Gaus. Wiley [New York, NY, 1995. xi + 838 pp. Figs, and tables. 18.1 x 25.9 om. $81.85. ‘The now edition of Basie Inorganic Chemistry is a signifieant improvement over an already excellent book. The underlying phi- Tosophy remains: that students learn inorgunie chemistry best if there is primary emphasis on faets a8 a bass for understanding important principles The third edition should be the text of choice {ora sophomore-junior level inorganic chemistry course for those instructors who want an essontially doseriptive approach to the subject with an emphasis on periodicity, reactivity, and structure ‘There i a wealth of information inthe text, certainly too much for complete coverage in one semester, To insure optimum student learning in a one-semester course, the instructor has to select only ‘small number of chapters from the Main Group and Transition Elomonts and from Special Topics while thoroughly emphasizing the First Principles of part I. The level of sophistication of the principles presented, however, is too high for the average student who has had a typical general chemistry course. Thus, many in- Sstructors will have to provide supplementary material to help the students bridge the gap and take full advantage of the consider-—_— able merits ofthe text. Alco, the third edition has some value as a mid-level reference work in inorganic chemistry for professional Scientists who haven’ completed a course in physical chemistry Dut who have a basie background in chemistry. “The format of the third edition remains the same with respect to major parts and chapters, except for the addition ofthe chapter titled “The Inorganic Solid State" and the appendices: “Aspects of ‘Symanetry and Point Groups”, “Table of Hydrogen like Atomie Or- bital Wave Functions”, “Ionization Enthalpies of the Slements" “Tonie Radi, “Electron Attachment Enthalpica of Selected Ele. ments" and Unita) from Various Sources”, There are 830 pages in| tion (as opposed to 708 in the previous edition). Tho new chapter land appendices account for hal of the inerease while expanded average in most of the remaining chapters accounts forthe res. Few changes have been made in the chapters: Group VIB, The Halogens, The Noble Gases, The Transition Elements and Special ‘Topics. One example of the new material added to this edition is the discussion of the chemistry of important new elasses of com- pounds like the fullerenes. Other noteworthy improvements in- clude new approaches to the depiction of ionie structures, ‘Quantitative approaches to acid-base chemistry, expanded and ‘unified treatment of periodicity in structure and reactivity among ‘the main group elements, Wades rules for boranes and carberanes and reaction summaries for many elements. Several new figures ‘and many exercises have been added along with new post-1990 supplementary readings at the end of each chapter. Many of the ‘changes enhance the value of the third edition as a tex. Tn summary, the third edition is sufficiently different from the second edition to warrant addition toa professional library as well suse as a now text Laurence J. Boucher “Towson State University “Towson, MD 21204 ‘Chemische Kabinettstiicke: Spektakulére Experimente und geistreiche zitete H.W. Roesky and K. Mickel. VCH: New York, NY, 1994. 314 1p. Figs. and ilus, 16.7 x 24.0 em, $40.00. “Chemische Kabinettaticke,” the experimental leetures that Roesky has presented throughout Germany have enchanted and enlightened experienced industrial chemists, seience teachers, ‘students, and laypersons interested in science, Now 124 of these spectacular demonstrations are presented successfully in book format. Each experiment features sections of safety precautions, apparatus, chemicals, detailed procedure, explanation (including fequations when appropriate), disposal, and references (many to larticles in the J. Chem, Educ., some us recent as 1993) Diagrams, structural formulas, tables, and black-and-white photographs as well’as 37 beautiful and striking full-color plates ‘on 28 pages are provided. The entire book is printed on heavy, aes- ‘heticlly pleasing paper "The unique feature of the book, however, which differentiates it from almost all other collections, isthe liberal use of hundreds of fascinating historical, literary, philosophical, and snecdotal facts, lengthy quotations, and aphorisms that the authors have ingen- ously integrated with the experiments in accordance with their deeply humanistic approach to science, which stresses the impot- tant role of chomistey in our culture and civilization, In this re- spect, its a successful amalgam of literature, art, and seience. ‘Besides quotations from scientists and natural philosophers such as Aristotle, Avicenna, Berzelius, Edmund Davy, Einstein, Emil Fischer, Geber, Thomas H. Husley, Keplor, Licbig, Luerotivs, Lichtenberg, Oppenheimer, Paracelsus, Sagan, and Wohler, the ‘book contains prose or poetry by Woody Allen, Francis Bacon, Yogi Berra, Cicero, Dali, Dante, Freud, Goethe, van Gogh, E.T.A. Holt ‘mann, Klee, Lessing, Manin, Mareus Aurelius, Michelangelo, Mon- taigne, Nietzsche, Petronins, Picasso, Schiller, Schinberg, Mark ‘Twain, and Walt Whitman as well as passages from the Bible and ‘Talmud. This collection of masterpieces of the demonstrator’s art ga balanced blend of theater and chemistry and a real bargain. George B. Kauttman Caltornia State University Fresno Fresno, CA 83740 Titles Of Interest Clean Technology and the Environment A.C. Kirkwood and A.J, Longley Ealtors. Chapman & Hall [Now York, NY, 1995. xiv + 350 pp. Figs. and tables. 165 x 26.1 com. $129.35. Environmental Organic Chemistry: tlustrative Examples, Problems, and Case Studies Fond P. Schwarzenbach, Philp M. Gschwend, and Dieter M.im- Boden. Wiley: New York, NY. 1995. 400 pp. Figs. and tabies. 19.3 23.5 em, $29.95 PB. Making Sense: Simulation-of-Research in Organic Chemistry Education ‘Hanno van Keulen. CD-8 Press: Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC Utrecht, The Netherlands, 1995. 213 pp. Figs. and tables. 17.2 x2390m, ‘This is a study of organic synthesis from an educational point of view. More specifically, the relations between teaching and learning organic synthesis in a university chemistry curriculum are investigated. The focus is on the Iaboratory course for first-year chemistry students (at ‘Utrecht University). Specifically, laboratory-based instruc- tion in organic synthesis is investigated to determine sci- entific organie synthesis. The author's thesis is that chem- istry students have to make sense of organic synthesis to be able to contribute to it. Consequently, much attention is devoted to what exactly “making sense” is in the context of organic synthesis. Quality Assurance in Analytical Chemistry Wemer Funk. Vera Dammann, and Gerhild Donnevert. VCH: Now York, NY, 1995. xl + 298 pp. Figs. and tables. 17.8 24.6 cm. $80.00. ‘The quality assurance of analytical methods from their development to their application in routine analysis is sys- ‘tematically described. The book will be of special interest with regard to the compuslory introduetion of quality as- surance systems in laboratories for food examination. Monographs The Logic of Chemical Synthesis : E. J. Corey and Xue-Min Cheng. Wiey: New York, NY, 1989. 496 pp. 18.1 x 25.3 om. $49.95 HB/S24.95 PB. ‘The ttle ofthis three-part volume derives from a key theme of ‘the book the logic underlying the rational analysis of complex syn- thetic problems. Although the book deals almost exclusively with ‘molecules of biclogical origin, the approach taken is fully applica- ble to other types of carbon-based structures. Part One outlines the basie concepts of retrosynthetic analysis, and the general strategies for generating possible synthetic pathways by logical reduction of melecalar complexity. Part Two, a collection of mul- tistep syntheses, provides much integrated information on syn- thetie methods and pathways for the construction of interesting ‘target molecules, Part Three is intended to balance the coverage of Parts One and Two and to serve as a convenient guide to the now enormous literature of multistep synthesis. Volume 73 Number 1 January 1996 AIS,