This book pursues possible strategies for synthesising mainly organic compounds,
particularly those of interest to the health sector and related industries.
Topics covered include addition reactions of aldehydes and ketones; the use of
organometallic reagents to form carbon-carbon bonds (eg Grignard reagents); and
radical reactions, including selectivity and chain reactions. Retrosynthetic
analysis is introduced as a strategy for developing syntheses, along with
biochemical pathways. Mechanism and Synthesis concludes with a Case Study on
polymers, which demonstrates how chain reactions can be used to build up useful
materials with specific properties, such as contact lenses. The Molecular World
series provides an integrated introduction to all branches of chemistry for