Organic Chemistry: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #520

by Graham L. Patrick

Organic chemistry is the chemistry of compounds of carbon. The ability of carbon to link together to form long chain molecules and ring compounds as well as bonding with many other elements has led to a vast array of organic compounds. These compounds are central to life, forming the basis for organic molecules such as nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids.

In this Very Short Introduction Graham Patrick covers the whole range of organic compounds and their roles. Beginning with the structures and properties of the basic groups of organic compounds, he goes on to consider organic compounds in the areas of pharmaceuticals, polymers, food and drink, petrochemicals, and nanotechnology. He looks at how new materials, in particular the single layer form of carbon called graphene, are opening up exciting new possibilities for applications, and discusses the particular challenges of working with carbon compounds, many of which are colorless. Patrick also discusses techniques used in the field.

ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Genres: Science, Chemistry, Nonfiction, Stem

208 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2017

Reviews

[Theo Yassa · Rating 1 out of 5]

because GOD FORBID a developing country be able to produce their own medicine u fkn torie twat

[Lil · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book jumps from very simple explanations of organic chemistry, to university level reactions that have little to no explanation. Definitely not an “introduction”.

[Jack]

Science is cool as hell!

[Ryan]

Extremely interesting overview of useful molecules. Explains applications succinctly with useful background and molecule pictures. Includes future projects like antifreeze enzymes and nanotechnology. Enjoyed.

[Martin Herbordt · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Organic” must be one of the most terrifying words in the English Language. Required of pre-meds it combines the rigor of chemistry with the arbitrary memorization of biology – but the latter is without the simple mnemonics possible in that subject. But “Organic” is so central to so much important science – tucked just below molecular biology – that I wanted to learn more. But (there’s that word again) perhaps no other subject hits the wall of diminishing return faster – unless you are going to be a practicing chemist, learning about all the different molecules is really pointless (and hopeless). Anyway, that’s the motivation for giving the Very Short Intro a try.
So how well does it succeed? Maybe a B. Not so bad as to sink your med-school hopes, but not enough to make you consider doing and MD/PhD either.
The first parts are the strongest and I wish they made up most of the book. There is the briefest review of chemistry proper. Then the by-far most interesting part on synthesis. How to get from building blocks to finished product is really amazing. Like writing a project plan for a complex building – parts, scaffolding, equipment, place holders, removal, adding new pieces, etc. etc. But instead of mechanical properties you need to think about the chemistry. The second half of the chapter on analysis was also fascinating, although more from the point of view of limitations and instrumentation than from the chemistry itself.
Most of the rest of the book – at 162 pages hardly “very” short – is OK but a bit more problematic. Perhaps there is no other way to do it. The author has made the decision that the reader wants to know about the real world, like where DDT and PVC fit into it. So it meanders into related fields like chemical engineering, ecology, and medicinal- and bio-chemistry. At its worst it is a catalog of names. Much better would have been to include a bunch of that stuff in tables and concentrate on a few underlying principles.

[Toby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure what this book is supposed to be good for. It's WAY too challenging as an "Introduction" without a good background in Chemistry. It's WAY too light for a revision book. The 2nd half is substantially better than the first half in terms of it's ability to describe the OChem industry but I took very little from it.

It's best used as a source for further reading to really understand some of the concepts. However, for anyone really interested in OChem, there are many better books than this one.

The "Very Short Introduction" series are typically excellent books. This is not one of them.

[Charles Aldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides great insight into the fundamentals of organic chemistry and talks about past, present, future uses of organic chemistry. It was enjoyable learning about the work that went into discovering what we know today and also why organic Chemistry is the way it is, a fantastic extension from my learning in A-level Chemistry.

[Hendrik Borginon · Rating 5 out of 5]

As far as I'm concerned perfect for what it says in the title. Not that deep, but great to get a bit more of a feeling for the major dynamics in organic chemistry synthesis, some chemistry of life, applications and methodologies in e.g. pharmaceutical research, ... Perhaps not targeted at the layman, I do think you need a decent basis in chemistry to get much from the book.

[Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were quite a few chapters I didn’t understand but the parts I did were excellent

[Completelybanned · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graham L. Patrick should be your text in organic chemistry. Patrick presents the reader with a broad overview of organic chemistry as it is practiced by specialists and lived by laymen: what falls under the domain of organic chemistry? what do we owe to the field? what does an organic chemist do in their laboratory? how do they apply what they know about the natural world in order to offer us such conveniences as plastics, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and possibly even miraculous new technologies? Patrick's organic chemistry is responsible, and nuanced: yes, there are environmental, toxicological, and even socio-political factors to consider; but no, it is not ambitious to say that innovation can address such issues to provide us with cheap, healthy, environmentally-sound solutions.

[Alok Sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

It goes from zero to 100 real fast.
In the first two chapters, the book gives some easy pieces of information, and after that, the author went crazy all the necessary chemicals were introduced.
This book is compact but introduces you to the most important organic chemicals necessary for the contemporary world.

[Wing · Rating 4 out of 5]

At only around 160 pages, do not expect anything technical. It does cover the principles, techniques, and applications of organic chemistry. All of its many facets are fascinating. Structures of chemicals are illustrated to assist the reader in appreciating their properties and interactions. Very enjoyable. Four stars.

[Paweł Rusin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slightly uneven in regard to expected readers level, with some chapters much more technical than the others. That being said, I found it fascinating and realizing once again how little I understand chemistry. Probably the most challenging of all the VSI books I've read so far.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some parts were too complex to be considered an introduction.

[John Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little intro to concepts in organic chemistry. Gives you a good idea of things but is not very in-depth although this is to be expected.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The content is really interesting. It covers the basics of carbon-containing compounds and their reactions, atomic and compound structures, and bonds. It’s great to learn about how the different structure of carbon atoms can bond together with each other and with other elements in diverse ways, resulting in various allotropes of carbon that has applications in nanotechnology, drug creation, pesticides etc. This book goes into in-depth technical details, but my gripe is that the author doesn’t explain all the terms and writes in a complex manner. This makes the book difficult for someone with a high school background in Chemistry to understand.