Abstract
This is a new type of organic chemical publication. The volume under review is a translation of a German version published in Basle in 1946, and purports to cover the original literature of the period 1942–44. In fact, references to earlier publications are frequently given. Volume 2, covering the literature of 1945–46, has now been published in German, and presumably an English translation of this will appear in due course. If there is to be a series of volumes appearing at two-year intervals, then steps should be taken to reduce this time-lag between publication of the original Swiss edition and the appearance of its translation. The work is described as a "Thesaurus", a word which is defined by the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary as meaning a ‘treasury' or ‘storehouse' of knowledge. This savours somewhat of grandiosity, and it remains to be seen whether organic chemists Will regard the work so highly as the description implies. For the present, they will be content to accept the commendation of Prof. Keichstein in the foreword which he contributes, and to give the volume a conspicuous place on their shelves of reference works.
Synthetic Methods of Organic Chemistry A Thesaurus.
By W. Theilheimer. Vol. 1: 1942–1944. Translated from the German by Hans Wynberg. Pp. x + 254. (New York and London: Interscience Publishers, Inc., 1948.) 30s.
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COOK, J. Synthetic Methods of Organic Chemistry A Thesaurus. Nature 162, 202 (1948). https://doi.org/10.1038/162202a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/162202a0