Contents: 1. Radical substitution reactions at the saturated c atom. 2. Nucleophilic substitution reactions at the saturated c atom. 3. Additions to the olefinic c=c double bond. 4. Eliminations 5. Substitution reactions on aromatic compounds. 6. Nucleophilic substitution reactions (except through enolates) on the carboxyl carbon. 7. Additions of heteroatom nucleophiles to heterocumulenes -- additions of heteroatom nucleophiles to carbonyl compounds and their secondary reactions. 8. Addition of h nucleophiles and metal organyls to carbonyl compounds. 9. Reaction of ylides with saturated or unsaturated carbonyl compounds. 10. Chemistry of the alkaline earth metal enolates. 11. Rearrangements. 12. Thermal cycloadditions. 13. Transition metal-mediated alkenylations, arylations and alkynylations. 14. Oxidations and reductions. Index.

A bestselling mechanistic organic chemistry text in Germany, this books translation into English fills a long-existing need for a modern, thorough and accessible treatment of reaction mechanisms.

Knowledge of reaction mechanisms is essential to all applied areas of organic chemistry, and the curriculum now requires a book that covers and explains fully the most recently developed reactions. This text will enable students to gain a good knowledge of chemical synthesis and design.

This new textbook will prove essential reading for organic chemistry students at the upper undergraduate level.