Mechanism and Theory in Organic Chemistry (3rd Edition) [Hardcover]

Thomas H. Lowry (Author), Kathleen S. Richardson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0060440848 | ISBN-13: 978-0060440848 | Publication Date: January 1997 | Edition: 3 Sub

A best-seller for the advanced physical organic chemistry course, the text uses organic mechanisms as the focal point for examining current research. The third edition also has an expanded discussion of electron transfer processes, including application of valence-bond configuration interaction and treatment of energy surface crossings in photochemical processes; improved treatment of chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (CIDNP); and a new appendix to Chapter 9 on electron spin resonance (ESR). The expanded discussion of molecular orbital theory includes an introduction to perturbation molecular orbital (PMO), and the material on nucleophilic substitution, photochemistry, and radicals has been extensively revised. End-of-chapter problems ranging in difficulty encourage further investigation of reactions. Appendices include transition state thermodynamics and isotrope effects.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1090 pages
• Publisher: Benjamin-Cummings Publishing Company; 3 Sub edition (January 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060440848
• ISBN-13: 978-0060440848
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.6 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #642,141 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Old, flawed, but essential, December 26, 2009

By 

spumn - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mechanism and Theory in Organic Chemistry (Hardcover)

This text is indeed a classic, and despite the efforts of authors like Anslyn and Dougherty, remains essential in the education of any serious student of chemistry. But make no mistake: this is an old text, unchanged for decades, and despite the density of the subject matter, it lacks any kind of solutions manual. No one will hold your hand along the way. So as not to give the wrong impression, however, Lowry and Richardson's is a surprisingly well-written text. No doubt this was hailed as a breakthrough in chemistry education when it was published. Although the subject matter is quite dense, it is difficult to find yourself lost here. The authors are gifted educators.

Yet in many ways, Anslyn and Dougherty's is a superior text for the current generation of chemistry students. It's fantastically modern, written with a lucid style, and bursting at the seams (literally--it has a lousy binding) with connections, citations, reference tables, and almost anything else you could possibly ask for. That's also why it's a much larger text than Lowry and Richardson's. Nonetheless, I actually find Anslyn and Dougherty's to be a joy to read, from cover to cover. I'm not so sure I would say that about Lowry and Richardson's text.

Anslyn and Dougherty no doubt sought to modernize this important subject as well as highlight its connections to other disciplines, yet I do not believe they sought to usurp the authority of Lowry and Richardson's classic text. There is simply more rigor, more foundation here. Ultimately, the serious student must read both (as sick as that sounds, at nearly 2000 combined pages), in whatever order suits him.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best physical organic chemistry book ever., May 13, 2006

By 

Pierre M. Esteves "pierre esteves" (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mechanism and Theory in Organic Chemistry (3rd Edition) (Hardcover)

This is the deeper and best book I have of physical organic chemistry. It's a classic.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not for self-learning, December 7, 2008

By 

achiral "chemstudent" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mechanism and Theory in Organic Chemistry (3rd Edition) (Hardcover)

Mechanism and Theory in Organic Chemistry is an "old-school" type of textbook. There are no answers to the problems at the end of the chapters. Further, there is no solution manual. The "old-school" philosophy was to make the student slog through the assigned problems, and then contact the teacher for the answers. This approach is fine in some circumstances, but troublesome for those who need to learn the material on their own. As such, the textbook is not very good for self-learning.

The authors did a good job of presenting the material. After reading a chapter, one can walk away thinking he has a good understanding of the material. Of course, the student really has no way to test this.

A much better text for physical organic chemistry is "Modern Physical Organic Chemistry" by Anslyn and Dougherty. I recommend getting their solutions manual as well as their text.