Organic Synthesis

Organic synthesis is the intentional construction of organic compounds through chemical reactions.

The main areas of research within organic synthesis are total synthesis, semisynthesis, and methodology.

The synthesis of organic compounds is important because organic molecules are often more complex than inorganic compounds, and their synthesis is a vital branch of organic chemistry.

Total synthesis is the complete chemical synthesis of complex organic molecules from simple, commercially available petrochemical or natural precursors.

Synthetic intermediates are the chemical compounds made in each step of a synthesis that are used to modify the starting material and ultimately complete the synthesis.

The basic types of organic reactions are addition reactions, elimination reactions, substitution reactions, pericyclic reactions, rearrangement reactions, photochemical reactions, and redox reactions.

Organic reactions are used in the construction of new organic molecules in organic synthesis.

Some examples of man-made chemicals that depend on organic reactions include drugs, plastics, food additives, and fabrics.

Some of the oldest organic reactions are the combustion of organic fuels and the saponification of fats to make soap.

The Grignard reaction in 1912, the Diels-Alder reaction in 1950, the Wittig reaction in 1979, and olefin metathesis in 2005 have all been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.