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Fundamentals of Heterocyclic Chemistry: Importance in Nature and in the Synthesis of Pharmaceuticals

Louis D. Quin, John Tyrell

Hardcover, 327 Pages
1st Edition, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-470-56669-5
Wiley-Interscience

Description

Editorial Review

Hundreds of thousands of natural products and pharmaceutical active ingredients contain heterocycles as central building blocks. Despite their importance, the nomenclature, properties and synthesis is given little coverage in most textbooks. Louis D. Quin and John Tyrell attempt to close this gap with "Fundamentals of Heterocyclic Chemistry: Importance in Nature and in the Synthesis of Pharmaceuticals".

The text is easily understood even with a basic knowledge of organic chemistry, and achieves a good balance between background information and concise facts. The importance of heterocycles is demonstrated at the outset with innumerable natural products; this is followed with information on the nomenclature, properties and synthesis of the most important heterocycle classes. For example, the chapter on nomenclature is quite successful, and the rules are described a little at a time over several pages. The properties and syntheses of heterocycles are also explained gradually, which means that the complexity increases in successive chapters. Some of the reactions are explained mechanistically so that the students can easily understand.

The authors have made good selections among the important heterocycles and synthesis options, and thus have decided to limit the scope and complexity of the book. As a textbook, "Fundamentals of Heterocyclic Chemistry: Importance in Nature and in the Synthesis of Pharmaceuticals" is a highly successful work. Furthermore, for synthesis chemists coming into contact with heterocycles for the first time in their professional lives, this book offers the opportunity to acquire broad knowledge within a short period of time.

The single point of criticism is the structural formulas, which often seem to have been prepared too quickly. For example, the bond stereochemistry is left out in some compounds, which can be overlooked given that a focus on enantioselective syntheses has likewise been left out. Especially considering the buyer-friendly price and readily understandable text, this book comes highly recommended!

Contents

Chapter 1 THE SCOPE OF THE FIELD OF HETEROCYCLIC CHEMISTRY.
Chapter 2 COMMON RING SYSTEMS AND THE NAMING OF HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS.
Chapter 3 NATURE AS A SOURCE OF HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS.
Chapter 4 PRINCIPLES OF SYNTHESIS OF AROMATIC HETEROCYCLES BY INTRAMOLECULAR CYCLIZATION.
Chapter 5 SYNTHESIS OF HETEROCYCLIC SYSTEMS BY CYCLOADDITION REACTIONS.
Chapter 6 AROMATICITY AND OTHER SPECIAL PROPERTIES OF HETEROCYCLES: PI-DEFICIENT RING SYSTEMS.
Chapter 7 AROMATICITY AND OTHER SPECIAL PROPERTIES OF HETEROCYCLES: PI-EXCESSIVE RING SYSTEMS AND MESOIONIC RING SYSTEMS.
Chapter 8 THE IMPORTANCE OF HETEROCYCLES IN MEDICINE.
Chapter 9 SYNTHETIC METHODS FOR SOME PROMINENT HETEROCYCLIC FAMILIES: EXAMPLES OF PHARMACEUTICALS SYNTHESIS.
Chapter 10 GEOMETRIC AND STEREOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF NONAROMATIC HETEROCYCLES.
Chapter 11 SYNTHETIC HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS IN AGRICULTURAL AND OTHER APPLICATIONS.