Thursday, February 28, 2013

Organic Chemistry 2nd Edition, Jonathan Clayden



This is undoubtedly the best modern book for learning organic chemistry. Unlike some other books which present organic chemistry as a set of facts and reactions to be learnt and memorized, this book instead emphasizes the unifying threads between different concepts and also stresses the assimilation of those concepts through real-life applications. Common themes such as syn-anti addition, carbocations and orbital overlap tie together disparate reactions and aspects of organic chemistry.

The first edition of this book was published in 2001 and the updated edition in 2012, so the discussion in this book includes reactions and reagents that are often missing from other comparable texts. For instance the volume still provides the most complete and readable description of the Grubbs metathesis reaction that I have come across, clearly emphasizing the mechanism, the effects of different ligands and solvents and applications to complex natural products. Other reactions of paramount importance to both academia and industry which are presented in the book include the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki, Heck, and Sonogashira couplings (which were recently awarded the Nobel Prize). The Buchwald-Hartwig reaction which was not as developed in 2001 but which has since seen immense growth gets an especially detailed mention.

The volume covers the whole gamut of current organic chemistry. Apart from its modern and unifying outlook, the other feature that stands out is the way it stresses the practical relevance of all this material. Organic chemistry is really the basis of our modern way of life and the book reflects this fact. The value of almost every important reaction and reagent is demonstrated by its application to the synthesis of an important drug, polymer, food additive or agrochemical. The book also does a great job of illustrating the great value of simple concepts; for instance, one chapter discusses the application of pKa to the development of the bestselling drug ranitidine, another provides an explanation of the lachrymatory (tear-inducing) properties of onions as rooted in sigmatropic reactions involving sulfur compounds. From the clinic to the kitchen, this book drives home the fact that organic chemistry is not just an intellectually rewarding exercise but is at the foundation our daily existence.

In addition to these qualities, the book is written in an honest, informal style and the authors admit uncertainty where it exists. Color enhances bonds, atoms and mechanistic arrows while boxed material contains key concepts and intriguing examples. Overall we are treated to an incredible amount of information in an attractive format and the authors must have really spent a lot of efforts in planning and presenting it. In its second edition this book continues to be an extremely useful source for students and practitioners alike and it is highly recommended.

Product Details :
Paperback: 1250 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (May 4, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0199270295
ISBN-13: 978-0199270293
Product Dimensions: 8 x 11 inches

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1 comment:

  1. can you please give clayden 2 edition "solution manual of organic chemistry"... great help pls pls

    ReplyDelete