Robert Burns Woodward was the star of 20th-century organic chemistry. An MIT graduate by age 19, Woodward's ingenious notions about organic synthesis and his artful methodology were astounding. He is most famed for his synthesis of vitamin B12,which he undertook with Albert Eschenmoser, and for the orbital symmetry rules he developed with Roald Hoffmann. This volume presents Woodward's most celebrated papers and lectures--including the famous Cope lecture. Insightful commentaries and rarely seen photographs are also included.

This is the companion book to the former CHF traveling exhibit by the same name. "This multifaceted portrait of an extraordinary human being, teacher, and consummate organic chemist should inspire more young persons to pursue scientific careers, provide chemists with deep insight into the creative mind of a 'legendary architect of molecules,' and enhance the public's understanding of chemistry and its research methods." - Journal of Chemical Education.

This study confronts some of the major ethical controversies in chemistry today, taking on such touchy subjects as the use of thalidomide, a tranquillizer once given to pregnant women and later found to cause serious birth defects

R.B. Woodward, Professor of Science at Harvard University, who died in July 1979, was generally considered to be the greatest organic chemist of modern times. He was one of the founders of Tetrahedron and Tetrahedron Letters and this volume, containing papers from over 50 of the world's leading organic chemists, is dedicated to his memory. The contents cover all areas of modern organic chemistry and therefore present a synopsis of current research in this area of science.

The Conservation of Orbital Symmetry examines the principle of conservation of orbital symmetry and its use. The central content of the principle was that reactions occur readily when there is congruence between orbital symmetry characteristics of reactants and products, and only with difficulty when that congruence does not obtain—or to put it more succinctly, orbital symmetry is conserved in concerted reaction. This principle is expected to endure, whatever the language in which it may be couched, or whatever greater precision may be developed in its application and extension. The book opens with a review of the elementary aspects of the molecular orbital theory of bonding. This is followed by separate chapters on correlation diagrams, the conservation of orbital symmetry, theory of electrocyclic reactions, theory of cycloadditions and cycloreversions, and theory of sigmatropic reactions. Subsequent chapters deal with group transfers and eliminations; secondary conformational effects in concerted cycloaddition reactions; and generalized selection rules for pericyclic reactions.

Dieses einzigartige Buch läßt Chemie und Physik im festen Zustand und auf Oberflächen 'zusammentreffen'. In einer lebhaften und anschaulichen Weise bringt es Chemikern die Sprache bei, mit der sie die Elektronenstruktur ausgedehnter Systeme verstehen lernen können. Gleichzeitig zeigt es, wie auch von Seiten der Chemie Modelle über den festen Zustand sowie über Bindungen und Reaktivität von Oberflächen erstellt werden können. Das Buch bedient sich zunächst der Sprache von Kristallorbitalen, Bandstrukturen und Zustandsdichten. Danach stellt es die Werkzeuge bereit, mit denen der Leser weg von den stark delokalisierten Orbitalen des Festkörpers gelangt, darunter der Zerfall von Zustandsdichten und die Population von Kristallorbital-Overlaps. Mit diesen Werkzeugen schafft es der Autor, detaillierte quantenmechanische Berechnungen mit der chemischen Betrachtungsweise mit Grenzorbitalen zu verknüpfen. Die beschriebenen Anwendungen umfassen eine allgemeine Vorstellung der Chemisorption, Bindungsbildung und -zerfall im festen Zustand, Bindungen im Metall, die Elektronenstruktur ausgewählter leitender und supraleitender Verbindungen sowie die für die Deformation ausgedehnter Systeme verantwortlichen Kräfte.