Principles of Organic Chemistry

Book excerpt: Class-tested and thoughtfully designed for student engagement, Principles of Organic Chemistry provides the tools and foundations needed by students in a short course or one-semester class on the subject. This book does not dilute the material or rely on rote memorization. Rather, it focuses on the underlying principles in order to make accessible the science that underpins so much of our day-to-day lives, as well as present further study and practice in medical and scientific fields. This book provides context and structure for learning the fundamental principles of organic chemistry, enabling the reader to proceed from simple to complex examples in a systematic and logical way. Utilizing clear and consistently colored figures, Principles of Organic Chemistry begins by exploring the step-by-step processes (or mechanisms) by which reactions occur to create molecular structures. It then describes some of the many ways these reactions make new compounds, examined by functional groups and corresponding common reaction mechanisms. Throughout, this book includes biochemical and pharmaceutical examples with varying degrees of difficulty, with worked answers and without, as well as advanced topics in later chapters for optional coverage. Incorporates valuable and engaging applications of the content to biological and industrial uses Includes a wealth of useful figures and problems to support reader comprehension and study Provides a high quality chapter on stereochemistry as well as advanced topics such as synthetic polymers and spectroscopy for class customization