[Arkcon]

I've recently picked up The Organic Chem Lab Survival Manual, by James W. Zubrick.  Lots of quick and dirty explanations for techniques for complete beginners, wish I had this back in the day.

[agrobert]

I've recently picked up The Organic Chem Lab Survival Manual, by James W. Zubrick.  Lots of quick and dirty explanations for techniques for complete beginners, wish I had this back in the day.

Agreed this is a useful book.  Some people enjoy the humorous tone but I find it irritating.  Besides that the information is readily available and to the point.  Good call Arkcon.

[venkatjohnny]

For Undergraduates & Graduates

MODERN ORGANIC SYNTHESIS -  Normon & Coxon

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Paul Yukayama Bruice

[harini_5]

I am an undergraduate student. Basically for organic I prefer IL. FINAR and MORRISON and BOYD.Any comments???

[venkatjohnny]

Hi Harini,
I.L.Finar is like Bruce, u can follow that. But compared to Morrison& Boyd, i think Organic chemistry (vol I , volII) by Roger Maccomber can help u better for undergraduate topics. K have a nice time

[Quietus]

Greetings! I graduated H.S. in 2001 and have been working ever since, but a growing general dissatisfaction with the workforce opportunities of the un-educated has led me to re-apply to college. I will be starting a Biochem major at the undergraduate level this fall, and plan to be done in three years (applying for graduate and/or medical school after second year).

I have always been quick to grasp new concepts, and have taken a several night classes at the freshman level (General Biology/College Algebra/English Comp/Critical Thinking to name a few). So far, I'm doing very well and loving it. However, for someone who didn't even take Chemistry at the H.S. level, I imagine that I don't fully understand what I'm myself getting into.

I'm looking for some reading material that will give me a good basis of understanding before I throw myself to the wolves. As I don't feel like forking over several hundred dollars for new textbooks that my school might stop using before my classes begin, are there any older versions that I might be able to get cheap used copies of that come with recommendations for a newcomer to the field? Should I skip the 10 pound books and just grab the cliff notes versions?

Any advice would be appreciated, I'm open minded and very eager to learn!

[nj_bartel]

I'd suggest a high school chem book, but it may cost a little over 100 bucks.

[Quietus]

I'd suggest a high school chem book, but it may cost a little over 100 bucks.

I don't think I need anything that basic, I pick things up pretty quickly.

[JGK]

I can reccommend Morrison & Boyd

[BlowUpEverything]

I'm an undergrad with a fairly good background in chemistry planning on majoring in synthetic organic chemistry.  I'm looking for a book I can read before getting involved with an organic research group at my school this coming summer that will help with reaction mechanisms and synthetic techniques.  Just in a couple days of looking around I've found:

Strategic Applications of Named Reactions in Organic Synthesis
 by Barbara Czako and Laszlo Kurti

Classics in Total Synthesis
 by K. C. Nicolaou

Anyone have something to say about either of these texts?  I've also considered March's Advanced Organic Chemistry...  I did a summer intensive o-chem class that used Essential Organic Chemistry by Bruice.  That text was pretty good for a quick and dirty overview of essential functional groups, first year reactions and mechanisms, and a little bit of pharmacology / biochem.  Currently I'm reading independently out of Morrison and Boyd which I've found to be a great text.

   

[kiwi]

Strategic applications is my all time favourite named reaction book. I can't recommend it highly enough for the working chemist, its choice of reactions is far beyond most other books of its type, and the coverage for each reaction is deep, with discovery, mechanism and applications all in a two page spread, linked back to good literature refs. Strat. Apps, along with March (Advanced Organic Chemistry) and Greene and Wutts (Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis) is never far from reach.

These texts are pretty serious stuff, if you end up doing synth org you'll certainly use them. They assume a lot of background knowledge, which might make them hard to get into. Have a look at Clayden etal (Organic Chemistry) if you find the transition a bit daunting, thats a good book for bridging onto more advanced stuff.

[nj_bartel]

I've recently picked up The Organic Chem Lab Survival Manual, by James W. Zubrick.  Lots of quick and dirty explanations for techniques for complete beginners, wish I had this back in the day.

Just picked up a copy for $0.46 + shipping.     Love amazon.com.

[Vidya]

Best books to understand organic I and Organic II are
Morrison And Boyd
John McMurry
Most of my students are very satisfied and learning well .These books are also good for learning basics of spectroscopy like NMR ,IR UV and MS.
Here is a link for a virtual book
http://www.cem.msu.edu/~reusch/VirtualText/intro1.htm
But I advise you strongly to pick up one best book and dont get mixed up with many.

[Doom91]

By the way how do u rate the organic chemistry book written by Mcmurry

[nj_bartel]

I think McMurry's organic book is fantastic - very readable (as far as textbooks go) and easy to learn from.