Page 12 - Advanced Organic Chemistry Part A - Structure and Mechanisms, 5th ed (2007) - Carey _ Sundberg

xii reactions. Computational studies frequently serve to focus on particular aspects of
the reaction mechanism. Many specific reactions are cited, both in the text and in
Introduction
schemes and tables. The purpose of this specific information is to illustrate the broad
patterns of reactivity. As students study this material, the goal should be to look for the
underlying relationships in the broad reactivity patterns. Organic reactions occur by
a combination of a relatively few reaction types—substitution, addition, elimination,
and rearrangement. Reagents can generally be classified as electrophilic, nucleophilic,
or radical in character. By focusing on the fundamental character of reactants and
reagents, students can develop a familiarity with organic reactivity and organize the
vast amount of specific information on reactions.