Classics in Spectroscopy: Isolation and Structure Elucidation of Natural Products [Hardcover]

Stefan Berger (Author), Dieter Sicker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 12, 2009 | ISBN-10: 3527326170 | ISBN-13: 978-3527326174 | Edition: 1

The first book of its kind to describe the art of NMR using everyday examples.
This textbook will not only fascinate students wanting to learn about the topic, but also those experienced analytical chemists who are still inspired by their profession.
The contents provide for easy reading by using natural products that everyone knows, such as caffeine, backed by an attractive layout with many pictures to visualize the topics.
In addition, an in-depth analytical part makes the book a valuable teaching tool, or for self-learning using the questions and answers at the end of each chapter.

From a review by K.C. Nicolaou:

...a splendid composition of essays on molecules and their natural origins, isolation, spectra and properties.  As an extra bonus, the reader enjoys a collection of fascinating and colorful images and historical vignettes associated with each of the natural products covered.  I found it both beautiful and educational, and recommend it highly to students and practitioners of chemistry alike.

Editorial Reviews

Review

?The authors have succeeded perfectly in selecting 30 of the most important natural products from the large number of known ones, and in presenting their structure elucidation in an especially attractive form.? ( Angewandte Chemistry, September 2009) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Back Cover

About this book:
- Six chapters describe 30 natural products with their isolation and full spectroscopic details: Alkaloids/Aromatic Compounds/Dyestuffs/Carbohydrates/Terpenoids/Miscellaneous
- A background tells stories of the history and culture of each compound and its natural source.
- All chemical isolations are explained as principles of action and given as methods with full descriptions.
- The full set of UV, CD, IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, COSY, NOESY,
HSQC, HMBC and mass spectra are depicted and discussed in detail.


Taken from the Endorsement by DIETER SEEBACH:

... Thus, this unusual book is a combination of many: a laboratory-course book, a spectroscopy text, a contribution of the history of natural products, of chemistry, and of plant biology, and even a lab book all in one - The book is a scholarly masterpiece, didactically perfect, with beautiful colour pictures and graphic arts. Besides its practical importance for students and young chemical scientists, the book is a pleasure to read and can be used as a reference for the organic and biological chemist, indeed for any person interested in chemistry, life sciences, medicine, sociology, history and belles lettres.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 659 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-VCH; 1 edition (May 12, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3527326170
• ISBN-13: 978-3527326174
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 1.5 x 9.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,016,175 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic chemistry book, June 5, 2010

By 

J. M. Newman "dukeofwinds" (Flushing, NY, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Classics in Spectroscopy: Isolation and Structure Elucidation of Natural Products (Paperback)

This book is a fantastic collection of articles on the history, extraction, and spectroscopic identification of 30 natural products, including things like eugenol (clove oil), indigo, THC, and menthol. Each chapter includes the history of the natural product that the compound is isolated from, a laboratory method for extracting and purifying the substance, and detailed UV-VIS, IR, NMR, and mass spectra. The authors walk through the process of identifying the compounds and assigning each signal in all the NMR spectra in great detail. Each chapter ends with a set of questions on the nuance of the science, and answers are included in the back.

The book is lavishly illustrated in full color throughout, and includes relevant passages from authors ranging from classical antiquity to modern times. The literary passages are given in the original languages in the chapters, and translations are provided in the back.

The book is what a science textbook should be: engagingly well written, informative, and interesting. The book is written for chemists, and a thorough knowledge of organic chemistry will certainly help in understanding the procedures and spectra. However, the history sections can certainly be understood by anyone with a basic science education. This is a true classic that any chemist interested in natural products should have.