This organic chemistry reference helps readers see organic chemistry as an interesting and exciting science—and encourages the development of critical-thinking skills. Bruice presents reactions with enough detail to give readers a solid understanding of reactivity, rather than rote memorization. Once readers understand the reasons behind the reactivity of organic compounds, they will be better prepared to understand the reactions involved in such areas as metabolism, PCR, and genetic engineering. The Second Edition has been revised throughout to make the material more accessible. New materialhas been added on synthesizing disubstituted benzenes, solvent effects, the reactions of carbohydrates in basic solutions; mechanistic details are expanded to facilitate understanding.

Electronic Structure and Covalent Bonding; Acids and Bases; An Introduction to Organic Compounds: Nomenclature, Physical Properties, and Representation of Structure; Alkenes: Structure, Nomenclature, Stability, and an Introduction to Reactivity; The Reactions of Alkenes and Alkynes: An Introduction to Multistep Synthesis; Isomers and Stereochemistry; Delocalized Electrons and their Effect on Stability, Reactivity, and pKa• Ultraviolet and Visible Spectroscopy; Aromaticity • Reactions of Benzene and Substituted Benzenes; Substitution and Elimination Reactions of Alkyl Halides; Reactions of Alcohols, Amines, Ethers, and Epoxides; Carbonyl Compounds I: Nucleophilic Acid Substitution; Carbonyl Compounds II: Reactions of Aldehydes and Ketones • More Reactions of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives; Carbonyl Compounds III: Reactions at the α- Carbon; Determining the Structures of Organic Compounds; The Organic Chemistry of Carbohydrates; The Organic Chemistry of Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins; How Enzymes Catalyze Reactions • The Organic Chemistry of Vitamins; The Organic Chemistry of Metabolic Pathways; The Organic Chemistry of Lipids; The Chemistry of Nucleic Acids; The Organic Chemistry of Drugs.

A useful reference for chemistry professionals or anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of organic chemistry.