SERIES EDITOR’S FOREWORD

The key to understanding organic chemistry is the ability to recognize the controlling factors, stereo electronic effects, that determine the reactions and shapes of molecules. A grasp of the relatively simple principles of stereo electronic effects makes the vast array of organic reactions predictable and hence should be and essential part of all modern organic chemistry courses.

In this Primer, Tony Kirby provides an excellent account of the all pervasive nature fo stereoelectronic effects, which will be useful to students from the very start of as well as throughout, their University chemistry course Oxford Chemistry Primers have been designed to provide concise introductions relevant to all students of chemistry and contain only the essential material that would usually be covered in an 8 -10 lecture course. These constraints mean that per cyclic reaction. Which are obviously under stereochromic control, are not covered in this Primer, however there will be another primer later in the series that deals explicitly with this topic.

This primer on Stereoelectronic Effects will be of interest to apprentice and master chemist alike.