Organlc Chemistry Marc G.Loudon, Addison-Wesley Publish1499 ing Co., Reading, MA. 1984. xxvi pp. Figs. and tables. 18 X 26 cm.
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This is a well-written, easy t o read book which requires more than a casual observation to appreciate. For example, three of the first five chapters (l,3, and 5) aredevoted t o a thorough discussion of t h e structure, bonding, thermodynamic, and kinetic concepts needed to begin a fruitful study of organic chemistry while the second chapter introduces carbon chemistry with alkanes. Only then in chapter 4 (and later in chapter 6) are mechanistic, reaction concepts introduced using polar addition to alkenes as the "mechanistic centerpiece" as opposed to the traditional more common homolytic freeradical halogenation of alkanes. T h i s "mechanistic centerpiece" theme is used again in the second of two early chapters (7 and 8) on stereochemistry to illustrate the role of stereochemistry in chemical reactions. The mechanistic approach is strong in this book and is used consistently within a functional group framework. A particularly strong point of this text is the emphasis given to the mechanistie relationship among different reactions. Some readers will find the treatment of spectroscopy ineonvenient-i.e., NMR is introduced in chapter 11, IR in chapter 13, UV in chapter 16, and MS in chapter 22. However, each treatment is done in an excellent fashion with the emphasis on structure determination; if one desires, the essential aspects of various chapters could be easily combined (except for perhaps the UV treatment) early in the course into an integrated approach. The experimental aspects of each technique are well described and each chapter contains an ample supply of related problems.
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While synthetic concepts and emphasis are not lacking, one does not detect a major thrust until about the middle of the book. Again, this may he due to a somewhat different from traditional organization of material. For examole. alcohols are not discussed untilseversl;ha~tersattrrolkd halidrsand t h m three chapter* briore corbonsi compoundr. H
