BOOK REVIEWS

or five other such books to cover portions of a course in analytical chemistry for either seniors or beginning graduate students.

W. D. COOKE Cornell University Ithaca, New Ymk

Stereochamistry: The S t d i e Principles

J . Glundy, Brunel College, London. Butterworths, Washington, D. C., 1964. x + 227 pp. Figs. and tables. 14.5 X 22 cm. $6.50.

This book concerns itself with the sub- ject of stereoisnne~im; not, as the title would imply, stereochistry. The sub- ject is treated in two sections of ap- proximately equal length. The first see- tion (Chapters 1-3) considen those properties of bond structure, atomic and group volumes and electrostatic effects which are ultimately responsible for the phenomena of stereoisomerism. The sec- ond section (Chapters 4-10) considers the stereoisomerism specifically.

Of the twosections, the first is the better. A fairly modern picture of continuous hybridization and its effect on bond

geometry is presented. Unfortunately the subsequent treatment of electro- negativity does not exploit the earlier discussion of hybridization. Within this timt section there is a, stylistic withholding of the stereoisomeric conclusions to he drawn as a consequence of the ideas developed there. This factor greatly weakens the entire book. Even in this section, although it becomes much worse in the next, the work suffers from re- dundancy and an inappropriate teasing of ideas.

The second half of the book, considering stereoisomerism per se, rtttempts to build a feeling for stereoisomeric form on the principles developed in the first portion. I t is not 8. successful attempt primarily, I believe, became the heart of steroiso- meric understanding is sensitivity tu the three-dimensional eoneents of molecular

covalent band. Mr. Grundy has divided stereoisomers

into "primary" and "secondary" classes. These are equivalent t,o classical configura- tional isomers and c a j o m l i a a l isomers. The "primary-secondary" terminology used throughout the book provides no understanding not explicit in the classiesl terms.

Cunformationd analysis of ethane and its derivatives is treated frequently and a t a length which is far too great. Again verbosity, rather than error, is the fault.

The author is disturbed by the use of the Fischer projections because, he argues,

when considered in three-dimensions all the groups are eclipsed and thus conforma- tiunally unstable! Neither the obvious value and ressanahleness of the Fischer emuenlion nor its perfectly general use deter the author from proposing an alter- nabive "modern" projection in which D-glucose is shown as indistinguishable from a Fischer projection of D-tslose!

XIost of the three-dimensional drawings are unnecessarily poor. That is, they do not give the reader any sense of depth nor orient him in space. There is no real discussion of the use of molecular models in the study of stereoisomerism.

The documentation of the book is not good, running an average of less than one reference per page. Of the 196 references, 24 are to papen published since 1954 and mly one is mare recent than 1959. There is no mention of the sequence specifica- tion (Cahn-Ingald-Prelog-eonvention) nor, in fact, is nomenclatt~re discnssed as such. Brewster's treatment of group polarisa- bilities is ignored and there is no mention of the source, magnitude or dispersiun of optical rotation to be found in the hook.

The index consists of 182 items, over one-half of which refer to terms fonnd in the first 45 pages. The typography is clear and only very minor errors on pages 12i, l i9 , 208, and 215 were observed.

QUENTIN R. PETERSEN Wabash College

Cvawfordsville, Indiana

(Continued on page A496)

A494 / Journal o f Chemical Educofion