Synopses & Reviews
"Carotenoids, Volume 2" is the first book to be devoted entirely to the chemical synthesis of carotenoids. The essential in-depth appreciation of the perspectives, principles and strategies of carotenoid synthesis is provided in the first chapter. Preparation of polyene synthons and carotenoid end groups, and the coupling reactions commonly used for carbon-carbon double bond formation, as well as the application of these methods and synthons for the synthesis of carotenoids, are then described in detail. The commercially important technical syntheses used for the large scale industrial production of carotenoids, and methods for the preparation of isotopically labelled carotenoids, in particular for biological and medical applications, are also covered. Following the practice established in Volume 1A, Worked Examples are presented. These describe in detail reliable and efficient procedures for key reactions and can be used to form the basis of practical exercises for students of organic chemistry. Tables of useful synthons and a list of natural carotenoids that have been prepared by total synthesis are included as appendices.
Synopsis
George Britton, Synnl/Jve Liaaen-Jensen and Hanspeter Pfander This book, Volume 2 in the series Carotenoids, is the first book to be published that is devoted entirely to the total synthesis of carotenoids, but it is timely in view of the rapid development and the growing diversification of the carotenoid field. The 1971 Carotenoids book contained a major chapter of 250 pages on total synthesis by H. Mayer and O. Isler. That comprehensive and authoritative review described systematically the construction of many synthons and the synthesis of many natural and unnatural carotenoids and related compounds. Twenty five years on, that chapter remains an essential reference work and source of information, with its extensive collection of tabulated data and lists of references to the original literature. Surveys of progress since 1971 have been presented at the IUPAC International Symposia on Carotenoids and are included in the published proceedings of these symposia. The history of major publications in the carotenoid field, leading to the development of this series, was outlined in the preface to the series published in Vol. IA. The general philo- sophy outlined in that preface, with emphasis on practical guidance and the inclusion of worked examples of some of the most useful procedures, is maintained in Vol. 2. In kceping with this philosophy, Vol. 2 is not intended to be an exhaustive review of the literature, but is planned as a practical book, as well as a source of information.