Customer Reviews

Organic Chemistry: Study Guide/Solutions manual

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My class just recently switched texts to Jones' offering and I think the change will last. I can sincerely say I enjoyed learning Organic Chemistry with Jones' text. His style makes you feel as if you're engaged in conversation and his tone avoids any hint of condescendence. These factors combined with pleasant illustrations make for a text that is easy to read and easy to learn from. It is not perfect, however, as several small errors in mechanisms and simple typos were encountered and often pointed out by my professor. It also lacked a sufficient amount of practice problems. But overall, the book is able to take an overwhelming amount of information and manipulate it into digestable bite-sized packages. It truly made learning easy (as easy as you can get in an orgo class) and (dare I say it) fun.

Jones' book seems to either evoke hatred or unconditional love. Jones is able to capture the drama, personalities, and god-awful fuzzy uncertainty inherent in organic chemistry. The outcomes he focuses on are critical thinking skills and problem solving which are skills every student will carry after the mechanisms have faded from memory. It is scary to use and more difficult to teach from than texts that simplify the subject to the point of robbing its richness. Be brave and give it a try. It is worth it.

Jones' book definitely stands out among other organic chemistry textbooks. Unlike every other organic chemistry book I've looked at, this book does not once use the excuse "...but that is beyond the scope of this course..." Jones manages to explain just about everything and if you actually take the time to do the problems as they're presented, you will find yourself able to answer fundamental orgo questions without memorizing. On the other hand, this book is not for the weak of heart. You must be motivated to use this book precisely because of the aforementioned. Jones will NEVER give a superficial explanation. There is literally an explanation for EVERTHING and it takes some patience to decide what's important for an upcoming exam and what will contribute to your complete understanding of the subject. If you're the above average student, this is definitely for you. If you're not, then well...let's put it this way, you'll definitely learn something. There's also the added plus that the author doesn't assume everyone's an expert right off and as a result uses very basic scientific language to begin with.

On short notice, I was asked to teach a course in Organic Chemistry, and I have been casting about for an apporpriate text -- a text for my students and for myself; it's been a few years since I last taught OChem. Maitland Jones' Organic Chemistry is a gem, and I recommend it highly.

As Jones states in the introduction, the presentation emphasizes understanding, not memorization. Jones discusses the whys and wherefores of organic chemistry. Why is it that, the greater the substitution, the more stable the alkene? Turn the page; Jones provides an explanation. What is the basis of optical rotation? Read on; the rationale follows the rule.

More importantly, Jones asks the reader to participate in his development of the material. In-chapter questions lead the reader through a discovery of the basis of Bredt's rule, for example, before the formal explanation.

There are some faults, to be sure -- some first edition errors in the text (very few, despite numerous cross-references), and perspective in some of the orbital diagrams is a bit confusing. However, the tone of the text engages the reader, and the numerous illustrations are carefully chosen. Jones leads the student on a path of discovery, carefully adding details to the map in forays from known territory. This book must be read "pencil in hand," as Jones admonishes, i.e. actively. For those who take the time to do so, it is richly rewarding.

If you're normal, then you probably aren't too excited about taking Organic Chemistry. However, Jones Organic Chemistry is a much much better text than many of the orgo books out there. The book is set up the way that you should learn chemistry, the way that it makes sense, and not the way that many chemistry classes are being taught at many universities.

I have 2 main complaints about this book. First of all, the author will go on and on and on for pages giving a detailed explanation only to say in the end that it is not correct. He thinks this is helpful, however, it is extremely confusing and an enormous waste of time. Also, he lacks the ability to present material in a simple, logical and concise way. For example, when presenting substitution and elimination reaction mechanisms, he goes on for 75 pages (yes, the chapter is 75 pages long!!) yet never simply lists the basics for determining which mechanism will occur. All you want is a simple table, for example, 1) SN2 - favored by primary carbon, polar aprotic solvent, strong nucleophile, etc. 2)SN1........ If you have to get this book, purchasing the solution manual is a must. One good thing, the author is entertaining - read footnotes, etc. - and he tells cute anecdotes.

You have probably noticed that NO organic texts seem to get a "Gold Medal" from anyone. The subject in itself probably forbids that. However, Jone's (the author, Maitland Jones) attempt is one of the better ones. If you can get you hands on the solutions manual you will notice how well and thorough it is written. He not only gives the answers, but also the complete mechanisms and explanations. In some cases he steps in areas where his explanations are rather weak, but he does try to explain the subject, if not ever so briefly. He has the topic of stereochemistry all over the text which could be a good idea, but not when the concept he is using has never been mentioned or covered previously. Practically every chemistry professor says Morrison and Boyd are copied by everyone else in the writing of these colossal texts, but that does not apply here. I believe the author should use a few more applicable example problems available in medicinal chemistry as he goes along-- to increase interest in his topics. He seems to forget sometimes who exactly are taking these o chem courses--our future doctors, pharmacists, and chemists!! He should "tilt" his message with a few more examples they might appreciate to illustration how they are used in contemporary settings. Also he expands on topics that are really not that important in a first or second semester student's list of things to know. One very odd thing I did notice is in some cases, the book is rather disorganized or "out of order". On page 170 or so he introduces early cycyohexane axial hydrogens and goes into good detail about how forms of this compound exist. Then, almost 500 pages later in the book, around page 687 or so he is telling you things he should have explained much earlier in the text about the same subject when he is talking about NMR. Even in the newest edition he chooses this method when they should be placed together in explanation much earlier in Chapter 5. This needs to be corrected. One final flaw is that there are NOT enough chapter ending questions. The only way one will 'learn' organic chemistry is to practice doing problems, and Jones does not have enough problems, nor does he challedge the student enough with the ones he does have. Also he forgets at times that organic chem is NOT just blackboard chemistry, there is a a living, breathing, laboratory science which it validates. There are better organic chemistry books out there, but this text is certainly well written for the most part and could serve as a primary text for class. guyairey

This book is why I kept my sanity in the 2nd semester of orgo. chem. I took the class using this book the year before I transferred to a different university, and I've loaned it to some of my new friends struggling with orgo here. They've thanked me because unlike their texts, Jones' text actually explained concepts so that they made sense.

Jones' text is definitely an interesting introduction to organic chemistry. You manage to actually see some of the reason why a mechanism works in the way it does, why reactions turn out the way they do, which I happen to like. Which can be a distinct difference from the way most OChem courses are taught...which is a good thing. Of course, the text also has its flaws. It makes for a horrible reference text. Tables, charts, etc. are spread through the text and not collated in a back of the book appendix. Sure, you can check the index, but what a waste of valuable energy that could be spent doing problems. :) Also, I found the historical anecdotes either funny or annoying, depending on my mood. All in all, a solid book for an OChem course.

The book contains all necessary information required for students to pass exams. However the main criticism focuses on the way the material is presented. Jones takes a story-telling approach in presenting the material; there are a lot of personal experiences scattered here and there as well as the author's personal opinions about various subjects. Pictures and color seem to be used excessively, almost to the extent of overwhelming the reader. Sometimes it seems that Jones is rambling on, and it may be hard for the student to fish out the main idea. However this approach is more useful when Jones applies it to the problems and the solutions manual, as it may liven up the sometimes tedious process of problem-solving.