Page 10 - Advanced Organic Chemistry Part B - Reactions & Synthesis

Introduction

The focus of Part B is on the closely interrelated topics of reactions and synthesis.In
each of the first twelve chapters, we consider a group of related reactions that have
been chosen for discussion primarily on the basis of their usefulness in synthesis. For
each reaction we present an outline of the mechanism, its regio- and stereochemical
characteristics, and information on typical reaction conditions. For the more commonly
used reactions, the schemes contain several examples, which may include examples of
the reaction in relatively simple molecules and in more complex structures. The goal of
these chapters is to develop a fundamental base of knowledge about organic reactions
in the context of synthesis. We want to be able to answer questions such as: What
transformation does a reaction achieve? What is the mechanism of the reaction? What
reagents and reaction conditions are typically used? What substances can catalyze
the reaction? How sensitive is the reaction to other functional groups and the steric
environment? What factors control the stereoselectivity of the reaction? Under what
conditions is the reaction enantioselective?
Synthesis is the application of one or more reactions to the preparation of a
particular target compound, and can pertain to a single-step transformation or to a
number of sequential steps. The selection of a reaction or series of reactions for a
synthesis involves making a judgment about the most effective possibility among
the available options. There may be a number of possibilities for the synthesis of a
particular compound. For example, in the course of learning about the reactions in
Chapter 1 to 12, we will encounter a number of ways of making ketones, as outlined
in the scheme that follows.

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