Hypercarbon Chemistry

The essential new edition of the book that put hypercarbon chemistry on the map A comprehensive and contemporary treatment of the chemistry of hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and aromatics) towards electrophiles, Hypercarbon Chemistry, Second Edition deals with all major aspects of such chemistry involved in hydrocarbon transformations, and of the structural and reaction chemistry of carboranes, mixed hydrides in which both carbon and boron atoms participate in the polyhedral molecular frameworks. Despite the firmly established tetravalency, carbon can bond simultaneously to five or more other atoms. "Hypercarbon" bonding permeates much organic, inorganic and organometallic chemistry, and the book serves as the compendium for this phenomenon. Copious diagrams illustrate the rich variety of hypercarbon structures now known, and patterns therein. Individual chapters deal with specific categories of compound (e.g. organometallics, carboranes, carbocations) or transformations that proceed through transient hypercarbon species, detailing fundamental chemistry, including reactivity, selectivity, stereochemistry, mechanistic factors and more.

“Highly recommended.  Upper-division undergraduates through professionals.” (Choice, 1 March 2012)

GEORGE A. OLAH, PhD, is the 1994 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Founding Director of the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, and Distinguished Loker Chair Professor at the University of Southern California. A pioneer in the hypercarbon chemistry field, Dr. Olah has published numerous papers, books, and monographs. G. K. SURYA PRAKASH, PhD, is the George A. and Judith A. Olah Nobel Laureate Chair Professor and the Director of the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute at the University of Southern California. KENNETH WADE, PhD, DSc, FRS, is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Durham, UK and a Senior Fellow of the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute at the University of Southern California. ÁRPÁD MOLNÁR, DSc, is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Szeged, Hungary, and a Senior Fellow of the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute at the University of Southern California. ROBERT E. WILLIAMS, PhD, is a Senior Fellow of the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute at the University of Southern California.