Pictures of the Day CH310M/CH318M Fall 2007

12-05-07
The Functional Group Paradigm: Synthesis of Complex Molecules
Shown above are examples of chemistry you know being applied in very complex situations. The point is that functional groups such as the -OH group of alcohols or the pi bond of alkenes generally react the same whether they are in complex molecules such as those shown above, or in simple molecules like the ones we discuss most often in class. The functional group based approach to synthesis is a fundamental paradigm in organic chemistry, and it explains why the book is organized around the different functional groups.