Essays in contemporary chemistry : from molecular structure towards biology / Gerhard Quinkert, M. Volkan Kisakürek (eds.).

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Quinkert, Gerhard.

Kisakürek, M. Volkan.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Chemistry.

Physical Description:

xvi, 455 pages : illustrations (some color), 1 portrait ; 25 cm

Other Title:

From molecular structure towards biology

Place of Publication:

Weinheim ; New York : Wiley-VCH, [2001]

Summary:

In this volume, internationally renowned chemists recount their roles in the progress of chemistry research toward elucidation of biological processes. Beginning with a historical perspective on the development of X-ray crystallography, the reader is regaled with first-hand accounts of research milestones. Included are descriptions of the cutting-edge nuclear-magnetic-resonance and electron-paramagnetic-resonance spectroscopic techniques, the dynamics of ultra-fast reactions, and the central problem of molecular oxygen activation in biological processes. The roles of chiral auxiliaries in organic synthesis and of photochemistry in natural product synthesis are told, and innovations in combinatorial synthesis approaches are described. Contemporary issues in molecular recognition and modulation of molecular function are addressed, concluding with a missive regarding how the frontiers of medical ethics may be breached by molecular manipulations. The contributors, who number among the finest scientists in the world, including two Nobel Prize winners, are Peter B. Dervan, Jack D. Dunitz, Christian Griesinger, Jean-Marie Lehn, Thomas F. Prisner, Gerhard Quinkert, Peter G. Schultz, Helmut Schwarz, Dieter Seebach, and Ahmed Zewail. Additionally, there is a prologue by Albert Eschenmoser, for whom this collection was conceived, and an epilogue that contains facsimiles of notes from his landmark lecture 'Synthesis of Co-Enzyme B12: A Vehicle for Teaching Organic Synthesis'. This book is definitely a must for all who want to read, or to read again, where we stand in our chemical comprehension of the fascinating relationship between chemical structure and biological processes, how we got here, and what the future might hold.

Contents:

Prologue: The Gold-Mine Parable / Albert Eschenmoser 1

Looking Backwards, Glancing Sideways: Half a Century of Chemical Crystallography / Jack D. Dunitz 7

NMR Spectroscopy as a Tool for the Determination of Structure and Dynamics of Molecules / Christian Griesinger 35

New Methods in Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Structure and Function Determination in Biological Systems / Thomas F. Prisner 107

Reactivity Concepts for Oxidation Catalysis: Spin and Stoichiometry Problems in Dioxygen Activation / Detlef Schroder, Helmut Schwarz 131

Femtosecond Activation of Reactions: The Concepts of Nonergodic Behavior and Reduced-Space Dynamics / Klaus B. Moller, Ahmed H. Zewail 157

Photochemistry Meets Natural-Product Synthesis / Gerhard Quinkert, Knut Eis 189

TADDOL and Its Derivatives - Our Dream of Universal Chiral Auxiliaries / Dieter Seebach, Albert K. Beck, Alexander Heckel 283

Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry and Virtual Combinatorial Libraries / Jean-Marie Lehn 307

The Importance of [beta]-Alanine for Recognition of the Minor Groove of DNA / Peter B. Dervan, Adam R. Urbach 327

Generating New Molecular Function: A Lesson from Nature / David R. Liu, Peter G. Schultz 341

Ethical Limits to 'Molecular Medicine' / Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker 381

Epilogue: Synthesis of Coenzyme B[subscript 12]: A Vehicle for the Teaching of Organic Synthesis / Albert Eschenmoser 391.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

3906390284

OCLC:

46944486