Compendium of Organic Synthetic Methods

Compendium of Organic Synthetic Methods is a systematic listing of functional group transformations for use in synthetic organic chemistry. The approximately 3000 chemical transformations are organized by chapter according to the initial and final functional group. Within each chapter the transformations are orgainized into sections by the initial functional group. Unlike many other collections of this type reactions giving low yield and employing exotic reagents are included. A list of abbreviations is included to assist the reader. The primary index is presented as a table of section and page number entries with the table rows labeled by the starting functional group and the table columns labeled by the resulting functional group. A tabluar index to difunctional compounds is also provided. Each entry in the compendium is a brief listing of the reaction written as a chemical equation, the yield, and the reference to the primary literature describing the particular transformation. For example the 1st entry under the formation of acetylenes from other acetylenes:

indicates that an acetylene can be lengthened in a two step process involving a Gringard reaction in diethyl ether in the 1st step with subsequent reaction with butyl-iodide in hexamethylphosphoramide in the 2nd step. The overall yield was 66%. It would be essential to consult the primary literature begining on page 2000 of an article in the Bull. Soc. Chim. Fr. published in 1964 to obtain the details of this reaction. The 4 volume set of Compendium of Organic Synthetic Methods is available in the Montana Tech Library.

References:

Compendium of Organic Synthetic Methods, John Wiley and Sons, New York (1971).