REVIEWS 153 



few years the discovery of the great value of the vat dyes derived from 

 anthracene has given a great impetus to the study of this compound and its 

 derivatives. Most of the results obtained, however, are hidden in the patent 

 literature amid a mass of irrelevant matter and, as far as the writer is aware, 

 previous to the publication of this volume no modern work existed in which 

 the chemistry of anthracene has been treated as a coherent whole. The 

 subject is treated from the theoretical standpoint, and although the chief 

 anthraquinone dyestuffs are fully dealt with, manufacturing details are not 

 entered upon. 



The book deals with anthracene and its substitution products, anthra- 

 quinone, its reduction products anthrone and anthranol, and the syntheses of 

 the anthraquinone ring. After an account of the benzanthraquinones and 

 the substitution products of anthraquinone, the amino and hydroxy-anthra- 

 quinones and the dyes obtained from them are described. A chapter is 

 devoted to the important benzanthrones and others to various heterocyclic 

 derivatives. Indeed, practically the whole field of anthracene chemistry is 

 covered with the exception of the naturally occurring derivatives, of which, 

 as the author explains in the Preface, a recent account has appeared elsewhere. 

 The amount of information contained in the book and the very numerous 

 references to journals and to the patent literature render it a most valuable 

 resume to the subject for the research worker and the dye chemist. 



A few minor adverse remarks may be made. The system of notation for 

 the anthraquinone ring, the author's modification of that of Pfaff, has the 

 merit of simplicity ; but it is very desirable that the atom of a substituent 

 (such as the amino group) actually attached to the ring should be placed 

 immediately beneath the vertical line. In the formulEE on page 234, for 

 example, the amino-group is so placed that it is uncertain to which ring the 

 substituent is attached. Occasionally the author's evident desire for brevity 

 leads to lack of clarity, a difficulty inherent in a work so exhaustive. However, 

 the book is so valuable that such minor faults are far outweighed and it should 

 make a wide appeal to all interested in this branch of organic chemistry both 

 in its theoretical and technical aspect. 



O. L. B. 



The Application of Dyestuffs to Textiles, " Paper, " Leather and Other 

 Materials. By J. Merritt Matthews, Ph.D. [Pp. xvi + 768, with 

 numerous illustrations.] (London : Chapman & Hall, 1920. Price 

 575. 6d. net.) 



The present volume is a development and extension of the author's earlier 

 laboratory manual of dyeing and textile chemistry, and, while still retaining 

 many of the text-book features in order to adapt it to the needs of the student, 

 it has been greatly broadened so as to appeal to all concerned in the applica- 

 tion of dyes, especially in the textile industry. 



The book contains such a mass of useful information, valuable alike to the 

 student and the technical man, that one cannot hope to do justice to it in a 

 short review. 



It is to be regretted that a little more space has not been devoted to the 

 minor uses of the natural and synthetic colours, such as spirit colours, lakes, 

 and so on, as it is just these matters that are often so difficult to track down 

 when details are wanted quickly. 



The book is copiously illustrated with photographs and diagrams of plant 

 used in the dyeing industry, almost too copiously in fact, as there does not 

 appear in many cases to be any adequate description of the machinery illus- 

 trated or explanation of the special uses to which it is put. 



There is an unfortunate error in the diagram on page 434, where it is stated 

 that phthalimide is obtained from phthalic anhydride by the action of strong 



