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Volume 8b: Compounds of Group 1 (Li ... Cs) |
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Introduction by Prof. Victor Snieckus (Volume Editor): |
| Volume 8b is the second part of the review of alkali metal chemistry from the perspective
of organic synthesis and deals with sodium, potassium, cesium, and rubidium, and their
selected derivatives. Organolithium compounds and other lithium species are described
in Science of Synthesis, Volume 8a. Taken together, Volumes 8a and 8b conclude the eightpart
series in Category 1 (Organometallics) following in the elegant footsteps of the alkali
metal coverage in Houben–Weyl, Vols. 13/1 (1970) and E 19d (1993). For the presentation of
methods in chemical synthesis, the major difference between Houben–Weyl and Science of
Synthesis is the comprehensive and exhaustive nature of the former and the selective, critically
evaluated, and most useful and reliable methods presentation of the latter. |
| As has been already pointed out in the introduction to Volume 8a, a major challenge
in planning the volume concerned the ubiquitous nature of alkali metal compounds in
organic synthesis. Broadly speaking, Volume 8 covers the alkali metals in diverse and arguably
unusual categories: (a) their elemental form; (b) a number of simple derivatives
such as hydrides, hydroxides, and halides; (c) “true organometallic compounds” bearing
metal-carbon bonds such as alkylmetals; and (d) metal enolates. Hence, Volume 8 departs
to some extent from the purely organometallics focus of the eight-part series. |
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