This book highlights the symmetrical characteristics of organic molecules. It demonstrates how to use principles of symmetry to synthesize and prepare both symmetrical and asymmetrical molecules.

This reference emphasizes the tactical considerations needed to optimize synthetic results in the laboratory----an area most books neglect. Bringing together information that currently lies scattered throughout the literature, it approaches synthesis from a modern point of view. Ho presents both the general aspects of molecular assembly and important new reactions and reaction combinations. Includes over 500 flowcharts and illustrations that clearly demonstrate the subjects discussed.

In recent years the intense activities of enantioselective synthesis have been reflected in the burgeoning and ingenious applications of such natural substances as carbohydrates, α-amino acids and terpenes. A comprehensive summary of terpene-based synthesis is offered, focusing on synthetic efforts using transformed chiral synthons. The author provides analysis of synthetic strategies and discusses the intricacies of reaction courses. Along with the number and variety of natural products derived from chiral terpenes, numerous flow-charts aid in clearly delineating synthetic pathways.

The importance of tandem reactions is evident--besides their pragmatic value, they have an aesthetic appeal. The author presents a survey of these reactions that will rivet the attention of numerous chemists to their merits and utility as well as stimulate design and discovery of new sets of tandem reactions. Coverage includes Aldol condensation, Michael Reaction, Dieckmann cyclization, thermal and free radical processes, stitching reactions and much more.

From reviews of previous volumes:

"Essential for chemistry collections at the university and research levels."
--New York Public Library
"Highly recommended...lots of succinct, practical information on recent developments...in a format that is easy to use. The reagents are taken up in alphabetical order (common usage names, not CAS indexing code names), sometimes several to a page, sometimes several pages to a reagent. One can expect to find how to make the reagent (in loose terms), or where it can be bought, what it is good for, and where to seek complete details. As with previous volumes, one can profit from just browsing, even if one does not feel a need to look up any particular subject. It is thus a secondary function of the book to help one keep abreast of the field, and it would be a rare chemist who would not learn something new and useful from a casual perusal of the pages."
--Journal of the American Chemical Society
REAGENTS FOR ORGANIC SYNTHESIS
Volume 1 1967 (0-471-25875-X) 1,475 pp.
Volume 2 1969 (0-471-25876-8) 538 pp.
Volume 3 1972 (0-471-25879-2) 401 pp.
Volume 4 1974 (0-471-25881-4) 660 pp.
Volume 5 1975 (0-471-25882-2) 864 pp.
Volume 6 1977 (0-471-25873-3) 765 pp.
Volume 7 1979 (0-471-02918-1) 487 pp.
Volume 8 1980 (0-471-04834-8) 602 pp.
Volume 9 1981 (0-471-05631-6) 596 pp.
Volume 10 1982 (0-471-86636-9) 528 pp.
Volume 11 1984 (0-471-88628-9) 669 pp.
Volume 12 1986 (0-471-83469-6) 643 pp.
Volume 13 1988 (0-471-63007-1) 472 pp.
Volume 14 1989 (0-471-50400-9) 386 pp.
Volume 15 1990 (0-471-52113-2) 432 pp.
Volume 16 1992 (0-471-52721-1) 435 pp.
Volume 17 1994 (0-471-00074-4) 464 pp.
Volume 18 1999 (0-471-24477-5) 518 pp.
Volume 19 1999 (0-471-32709-3) 504 pp.
Volume 20 2000 (0-471-36999-3) 552 pp.
Volume 21 2002 (0-471-21393-4) 608 pp.
Volume 22 2006 (0-471-68243-8) 504 pp.

Many chemicals are found in "right-" and "left-handed" forms that may react differently in the body. In planning a synthesis, chemists must know how to select the best method for making the preferred form of a chemical. This book shows how to choose the best method for a given synthesis. It provides readers with a thorough understanding of stereoselectivity in organic and medicinal chemistry as well as the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and food industries.