Books where chemists explain how they designed new molecules

[jonjacson]

I would like to read historical documents where the chemist that succeded in synthetizing a new molecule explains the process he used to obtain his results. Does that exists?

Instead of reading about solving the shrodinger equation in a square potential I would like to read how someone actually used that knowledge to design new molecules that must had some properties or perform a specific task.

Thanks!

 

[DrClaude]

I would like to read historical documents where the chemist that succeded in synthetizing a new molecule explains the process he used to obtain his results. Does that exists?

There may be some discussion of this in some biographies of famous chemists. You may also be able to find something in the Nobel lecture of laureates in chemistry, which are available at the Nobel Foundation's website.

Instead of reading about solving the shrodinger equation in a square potential I would like to read how someone actually used that knowledge to design new molecules that must had some properties or perform a specific task.

I don't how how many molecules were designed using computer-aided design. I think that there is a lot of trial an error in the process, starting with the idea of making a molecule that is an analogue to another.

 

[jonjacson]

There may be some discussion of this in some biographies of famous chemists. You may also be able to find something in the Nobel lecture of laureates in chemistry, which are available at the Nobel Foundation's website.I don't how how many molecules were designed using computer-aided design. I think that there is a lot of trial an error in the process, starting with the idea of making a molecule that is an analogue to another.

Thanks for the first link.

In regards of your second part, I would like to read about it anyway. So I would like to read success stories, if instead of Schrödinger they used trial and error, it is not a problem to me.

 

[jonjacson]

I just found femtochemistry, the Nobel Laureate in 1999, that was so interesting.

It is very strange to see that there are books about that until 2004, nothing later. I wonder why, Did someone find a better technique?

 

[jasonRF]

I don't know the answer, but I would start by looking at books / papers / wikipedia articles / research-group web-sites that deal with computational chemistry, computational molecular design and/or computational materials science.

 

[jonjacson]

I don't know the answer, but I would start by looking at books / papers / wikipedia articles / research-group web-sites that deal with computational chemistry, computational molecular design and/or computational materials science.

I tried computational chemistry books, but all of them were about the theory, the methods... but didn't show a practical, hands-on, successful examples.

 

[jasonRF]

Right. So try looking at research group web sites. They usually link to publications, and sometimes provide descriptions or links to other useful material such as seminar presentations, etc.

 

[jonjacson]

I will try.

 

[The Bill]

Ignition!: An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants by John Drury Clark has a few examples of what you're asking for, though it isn't the main focus of the book. The book is also very entertaining and funny, in my opinion. It presents an interesting and informative history of the chemistry of the title subject, I think.

 

[diogenesNY]

+1 on Ignition!

It is an incredibly fun, informative, cool, etc., book!

Recommended to anyone who can read and digs science. Applied chemistry, fun and cool. Rockets. Things blowing up. An experimental use of mercaptins as rocket fuel!

Check it out!

diogenesNY

 

[jonjacson]

Ignition!: An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants by John Drury Clark has a few examples of what you're asking for, though it isn't the main focus of the book. The book is also very entertaining and funny, in my opinion. It presents an interesting and informative history of the chemistry of the title subject, I think.

Great! Thanks!

That is very close to what I was looking for.

Let's see if there are more posts like yours.

 

[cosmicpuffycombs]

Hello,
I used this textbook in my drug design class and thought it was great. It doesn't really focus on anyone drug but goes through how drugs are rationally designed. It shows how the big name mechanisms you learned in organic chemistry are applied. I have more suggestions like this one but I can ask the inorganic/materials scientists I know for suggestions if that's what you were looking for.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0198708432/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[jonjacson]

Hello,
I used this textbook in my drug design class and thought it was great. It doesn't really focus on anyone drug but goes through how drugs are rationally designed. It shows how the big name mechanisms you learned in organic chemistry are applied. I have more suggestions like this one but I can ask the inorganic/materials scientists I know for suggestions if that's what you were looking for.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0198708432/?tag=pfamazon01-20

I really apreciate your post, thank you so much.

The book looks really interesting, I will purchase it .

 

[TeethWhitener]

K. C. Nicolau wrote a series of books called "Classics in Total Synthesis" that is just wonderful for anyone interested in synthetic organic chemistry. Also, Corey and Cheng's "Logic of Chemical Synthesis" is another classic. It wouldn't hurt to have at least a few gen chem classes as background when reading these books.

Edit:
Classics in Total synthesis (3 vols):
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3

Logic of Chemical Synthesis:
Link

 

[jonjacson]

K. C. Nicolau wrote a series of books called "Classics in Total Synthesis" that is just wonderful for anyone interested in synthetic organic chemistry. Also, Corey and Cheng's "Logic of Chemical Synthesis" is another classic. It wouldn't hurt to have at least a few gen chem classes as background when reading these books.

Edit:
Classics in Total synthesis (3 vols):
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3

Logic of Chemical Synthesis:
Link

Thank you so much!