Tutorial Chemistry Texts Series

Volume 12

Synthesis is one of the major endeavours of the organic chemist, and the design of a successful synthesis requires a sound knowledge of functional group chemistry, stereochemistry and organic reaction mechanisms. Organic Synthetic Methods introduces the major methods of creating carbon-carbon and carbon-nitrogen bonds, along with functional group interconversions (oxidation, reduction, halogenation). The use of protecting groups and solid-phase methods are also discussed. The analysis of the structure of a target molecule, in terms of the structural consequences of synthetic reactions, is introduced to enable the student to identify key dissections and building blocks and hence develop a suitable synthetic method. Examples of the synthesis of labelled compounds are also provided. Ideal for the needs of undergraduate chemistry students, Tutorial Chemistry Texts is a major new series consisting of short, single topic or modular texts concentrating on the fundamental areas of chemistry taught in undergraduate science courses. Each book provides a concise account of the basic principles underlying a given subject, embodying an independent-learning philosophy and including worked examples.

Volume 17

Natural Products

by James R Hanson

Published 17 September 2003

Natural products are compounds that are produced by living systems and the secondary metabolites are those which give particular species their characteristic features. These natural products include polyketides, terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, alkaloids and antibiotics. The study of these natural products has played a major part in the development of organic and medicinal chemistry and we are now starting to understand the important ecological role that these compounds have. The aim of this book is to describe the major features of these compounds and the way in which chemical and physical methods have been used to establish their structures and then to show how these structures can be rationalised in biosynthetic terms. The first chapter describes the classes of natural product, their biological activity and isolation. Subsequent chapters attempt to link chemical and spectroscopic strategies in structure elucidation, contrasting the classical chemical strategies that were used in the past with modern spectroscopic methods. The final chapter describes the biosynthesis of natural products. The elucidation of the structures of natural products brings together many elements taught in courses on functional group chemistry, stereochemistry and elementary spectroscopy. This book will therefore be welcomed by lecturers and students of second-year chemistry courses. Ideal for the needs of undergraduate chemistry students, Tutorial Chemistry Texts is a major series consisting of short, single topic or modular texts concentrating on the fundamental areas of chemistry taught in undergraduate science courses. Each book provides a concise account of the basic principles underlying a given subject, embodying an independent-learning philosophy and including worked examples.

Functional Group Chemistry

by James R Hanson

Published 14 August 2001

Functional Group Chemistry presents the chemistry of functional groups with an emphasis on patterns of reactivity, the consequences of the relative electronegativity of the atoms that constitute functional groups, the role of lone pairs and the stereochemistry of reactions at a particular group. The material is presented in four chapters. The first chapter describes some of the general principles that affect the reactivity of functional groups. The second chapter examines the chemistry of functional groups involving σ- C-X bonds as in alkyl halides, alcohols, ethers, amines and organometallic reagents. The third chapter covers the chemistry of both symmetrical and unsymmetrical π-bonded functional groups, typified by alkenes and carbonyl groups. The final chapter concentrates on aromatic compounds. It is concerned with the interactions between an aromatic ring and functional groups that are attached to it, such as their effect on the orientation of aromatic substitution. Each chapter concludes with a series of problems. The chemistry of the functional groups is considered here with a mechanistic rationale. Students are encouraged to consider the reactivity of functional groups in terms of their regions of electron deficiency and excess, and hence to identify the sites at which nucleophiles and electrophiles might react. Additional material is available on the website at www.rsc.org/tct Ideal for the needs of undergraduate chemistry students, Tutorial Chemistry Texts is a major series consisting of short, single topic or modular texts concentrating on the fundamental areas of chemistry taught in undergraduate science courses. Each book provides a concise account of the basic principles underlying a given subject, embodying an independent-learning philosophy and including worked examples.