I don't have my name on anything that I don't really do. –Heidi Klum Can the organic chemists associated with so-called “Named Reactions” make the same claim as supermodel Heidi Klum? Many scholars of chemistry do not hesi- te to point out that the names associated with “name reactions” are often not the actual inventors. For instance, the Arndt-Eistert reaction has nothing to do with either Arndt or Eistert, Pummerer did not discover the “Pummerer” rearran- ment, and even the famous Birch reduction owes its initial discovery to someone named Charles Wooster (first reported in a DuPont patent). The list goes on and on… But does that mean we should ignore, boycott, or outlaw “named reac- ons”? Absolutely not. The above examples are merely exceptions to the rule. In fact, the chemists associated with name reactions are typically the original dis- verers, contribute greatly to its general use, and/or are the first to popularize the transformation. Regardless of the controversial history underlying certain named reactions, it is the students of organic chemistry who benefit the most from the - taloging of reactions by name. Indeed, it is with education in mind that Dr. Jack Li has masterfully brought the chemical community the latest edition of Name Reactions. It is clear why this beautiful treatise has rapidly become a bestseller within the chemical community.
The third edition contains major improvements over the previous edition. In addition to updated references, each reaction is now supplemented with two to three representative examples in synthesis to showcase its synthetic utility. Biographical sketches for the chemists who discovered or developed those name reactions have been included. Furthemore, the subject index is significantly expanded.
Different from other books on name reactions in organic chemistry, Name Reactions, A Collection of Detailed Reaction Mechanisms focuses on their mechanisms. It covers over 300 classical as well as contemporary name reactions. Each reaction is delineated by its detailed step-by-step, electron-pushing mechanism, supplemented with the original and the latest references, especially review articles. Thus, it is not only an indispensable resource for senior undergraduate and graduate students for learning and exams, but also a good reference book for all chemists interested in name reactions.
Some praise for the previous edition:
"This is an excellent book for arrow pushing and learning organic name reactions as encountered in graduate school . . . Lis book contains reactions of all mechanistic classes . . . The book is nicely balanced, containing modern-day reactions for assembly of stereocomplex molecules. Reactions such as the Corey-Bakshi-Shibata reduction are analyzed. This book is a good reference text that fills a void that has existed for some time. It is both an excellent tool for learning and a good reference source."
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
