Advanced Organic Chemistry: Structure and Mechanisms (Part A)

Rating:
Summary: should be in every chemistry grad students private library
Review: An extremely useful text for courses involving organic chemistry at graduate level and an excellent reference text, it is much better than many other similar texts on the market. Probably most useful for the study of physical organic chemistry and studying for cumulative exams in the graduate chemistry program. This is probably the only such text you would need for mechanism determination problems. This text also has many example problems to work through which chemistry students would find the most useful.

Rating:
Summary: Update of a Classic
Review: Carey and Sundberg had written the most detailed and briliant account in the subject of organic chemistry. This volume along with Part B (Reactions and Synthesis) contribute to the most updated account in advanced organic chemistry. Part A deals with chemical bonding + structure, basic stereochemical principles, conformational analysis, stereoelectronic effects, and organic reaction mechanisms.

For many organic students, a basic picture of chemical bonding and structure is more than adequate. The mathematical complications in physical chemistry have haunted many organic students including myself. Carey and Sundberg discuss concepts in chemical bonding and structure most relevant to organic chemistry and organic compounds in very plain language. This volume covers valence bond, molecular orbital theory (MO), Huckel molecular orbital theory, interaction between sigma and pi systems, hyperconjugation. The book also frontier orbital theory (HOMO, LUMO, PMO) in the context of perturbation theory.

The coverage on stereochemistry is succinct but detailed. It introduces ideas of enantiomeric and diastereomeric relationships. It also emphasizes on the significance and consequence of prochiral relationships and stereochemistry of dynamic processes. Conformational analysis is discussed mostly in the context of 3-membered to 7-membered ring systems. The book also provides thorough discussion on kinetic vs. thermodynamic control in mechanisms. Some of the less-easy-to-grasp concepts are discussed in details such as the Hammond's Postulate, Curtin-Hammett Principles and isotope effects. The book also contains a section on inorganic catalysis, Lewis acid catalysis and solvent effects. It further reinforces the theory and concept studied in introductory courses.

The rest of the book focuses on some of the most significant organic reactions: their substrates, reaction mechanism, choice of solvents, intermediates, and possible stereochemical outcomes. Part A mostly deal with all the above except for stereochemical outcomes. This book covers nucleophilic substitution (Sn1, Sn2, Sn1b), polar addition and elimination reaction, carbocation and cabanion chemistry, and finally an introduction of reactions of carbonyl compounds without emphasizing on the stereochemical outcomes. The book provides an abundance of reaction examples organized in schemes. It makes studying very effective and helpful. The coverage on factors affecting nucleophilic reactions (leaving group ability, steric strain, substitutent effect, solvent, neighboring group participation) is excellent, so much better than most titles currently available.

The book concludes with sections on aromaticity, aromatic substitution, concerted reactions, and free-radical reaction. The section on aromatic substitution covers structure-reactivity relationships and specific reactions such as nitration, halogenation, Friedel-Crafts, diazonium coupling and addition-elimination. The section on cncerted reactions are basic meant to give a taste of these reactions. A more detailed account of these reactions will be found in Part B. Overall Carey and Sundberg is not an easy book to read. It assumes a basic knowledge of an introductory organic chemistry course. Advanced undergraduates and graduate students will welcome this new edition and the depth of materials covered.

Rating:
Summary: Course on Physical Organic Chemistry
Review: Carey and Sundberg had written the most detailed and briliant account in the subject of organic chemistry. This volume along with Part B (Reactions and Synthesis) contribute to the most updated account in advanced organic chemistry. Part A deals with chemical bonding + structure, basic stereochemical principles, conformational analysis, stereoelectronic effects, and organic reaction mechanisms.

For many organic students, a basic picture of chemical bonding and structure is more than adequate. The mathematical complications in physical chemistry have haunted many organic students including myself. Carey and Sundberg discuss concepts in chemical bonding and structure most relevant to organic chemistry and organic compounds in very plain language. This volume covers valence bond, molecular orbital theory (MO), Huckel molecular orbital theory, interaction between sigma and pi systems, hyperconjugation. The book also frontier orbital theory (HOMO, LUMO, PMO) in the context of perturbation theory.

The coverage on stereochemistry is succinct but detailed. It introduces ideas of enantiomeric and diastereomeric relationships. It also emphasizes on the significance and consequence of prochiral relationships and stereochemistry of dynamic processes. Conformational analysis is discussed mostly in the context of 3-membered to 7-membered ring systems. The book also provides thorough discussion on kinetic vs. thermodynamic control in mechanisms. Some of the less-easy-to-grasp concepts are discussed in details such as the Hammond's Postulate, Curtin-Hammett Principles and isotope effects. The book also contains a section on inorganic catalysis, Lewis acid catalysis and solvent effects. It further reinforces the theory and concept studied in introductory courses.

The rest of the book focuses on some of the most significant organic reactions: their substrates, reaction mechanism, choice of solvents, intermediates, and possible stereochemical outcomes. Part A mostly deal with all the above except for stereochemical outcomes. This book covers nucleophilic substitution (Sn1, Sn2, Sn1b), polar addition and elimination reaction, carbocation and cabanion chemistry, and finally an introduction of reactions of carbonyl compounds without emphasizing on the stereochemical outcomes. The book provides an abundance of reaction examples organized in schemes. It makes studying very effective and helpful. The coverage on factors affecting nucleophilic reactions (leaving group ability, steric strain, substitutent effect, solvent, neighboring group participation) is excellent, so much better than most titles currently available.

The book concludes with sections on aromaticity, aromatic substitution, concerted reactions, and free-radical reaction. The section on aromatic substitution covers structure-reactivity relationships and specific reactions such as nitration, halogenation, Friedel-Crafts, diazonium coupling and addition-elimination. The section on cncerted reactions are basic meant to give a taste of these reactions. A more detailed account of these reactions will be found in Part B. Overall Carey and Sundberg is not an easy book to read. It assumes a basic knowledge of an introductory organic chemistry course. Advanced undergraduates and graduate students will welcome this new edition and the depth of materials covered.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book for Graduate studies
Review: I used this book for Physical Organic Chemistry. The chapters are well written and inspire thought. The problem sets are long and have a great variety of problems to work out, but I suggest that you look up the references to many of them. There were a few minor errors in the editing. I recommend this book to everyone studying Organic Chemistry...a must have book.

Rating:
Summary: A very good book for graduate organic classes.
Review: I used this text in my graduate organic course and I thought that this book helped me alot. The chapters were a little long, but the problems were very thought provoking. I highly recommend this text for advanced organic courses at the graduate level of study.

Rating:
Summary: This book has an unimpeachable reputation at Lomonosov MSU
Review: Should you be a true chemist (whatever specialization), get the Carey&Sundberg's book! It features high degree of perspicuity, and is therefore highly recommended for our students of Master's Program at the Department of Organic Chemistry for individual perusal. Personally, I used to re-read it to get profound understanding of the Art. Together with March's, it deserves deep obeisance (and wide usage), undoubtedly widening one's ken. We are planning to translate the fourth Edition into Russian.....Insistently recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Great book, a must have
Review: This book is outstanding in explaining the kinetic/mechanistic aspect of reactions and the study of mechanisms in organic as well as in inorganic chemistry (catalysis). It starts out with a nice introduction of the relevant concepts (i.e. MO theory, PMO theory and Quantum Mechanics-not rigourously) specially designed for organic chemists and students who do not have/need a very intricate mathematical background, with the overall achievement of making it a really easy book to read and understand. Definitely, this book and Part B of it are a must have for any chemist!!

Rating:
Summary: Great book, a must have
Review: This book is outstanding in explaining the kinetic/mechanistic aspect of reactions and the study of mechanisms in organic as well as in inorganic chemistry (catalysis). It starts out with a nice introduction of the relevant concepts (i.e. MO theory, PMO theory and Quantum Mechanics-not rigourously) specially designed for organic chemists and students who do not have/need a very intricate mathematical background, with the overall achievement of making it a really easy book to read and understand. Definitely, this book and Part B of it are a must have for any chemist!!

Rating:
Summary: Complete Organic Chemistry
Review: This book of two volumes covers the core of Organic Chemistry including stero chemistry, standard reactions, reaction mechanisms in porper depth. if one can have two books for organic chemistry, then this is it. the reader may branch out into the relevant topics in depth like Carpenter( for synthesis), Lowry/Richardson(for steroChem & mechanisms) etc. This is, without a trace of doubt, one of the finest in Organic Chemistry. Two thumbs up !

Rating:
Summary: Update of a Classic
Review: This is an update on a classic text that has been used by many graduate and advanced undergraduate students. The core of the book is still an excellent survey of older literature and of enormous use to students. There are also many excellent problems. Unfortunately, there is not as much new material or references in some sections. I found I had to frequently supplement the text with current readings. The use of modern theory is especially lacking.