A Guidebook to Mechanism in Organic Chemistry

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PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION

IN preparing this second edition I have been most anxious that it
should not-increase, markedly in size (or price!) for I feel sure that
wjjat utility the book has-been found to possess stems in no small
part from its being short in"length (and cheap in price!). I have, there­
fore, added only those topics wjjich are generally felt to be vital
omissions, e.g. nitrpsation of amines, diazo-coupling, ester formation
and hydrolysis, decarboxylation, etc., but I have also sought to
eliminate errors and to clarify thj^rgument throughout, which has
involved rewriting many of the sections in whole or in part.
Many readers have been kind enough to write to me and I have
where possible adopted their suggestions; in this connection I owe a
particular debt to Professor Dr. W. Liittke of Gottingen and Dr. P.
Hocks of Berlin, the translators of the German edition. Mr. G. M.
Clarke and Dr. D. H. Marrian of this University have kindly read the
proofs of this second edi^pn and they too have made valuable sugges-
tiq^for which I am most grateful.
Cambridge, , PETER SYKES.
Affil 1964.

, PREFACE

THE last twenty-five years have seen an enormous increase in our

knowledge of {he reactions of organic compounds and, in particular,

of the actual detailed pathway or mechanism by which these reactions

take place. This understanding has largely come about from the

application of electronic theories—so successful in other fields—to

organic chemistry, and has resulted not only in an extremely valuable

systematisation and explanation of the vast, disparate mass of

existing facts, but has also made it possible to specify, in advance, the

conditions necessary for the successful carrying out of many new and

useful procedures.

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