This series of short texts provides accessible accounts of a range of essential topics in chemistry. Written with the needs of the student in mind, the Oxford Chemistry Primers offer just the right level of detail for undergraduate study, and will be invaluable as a source of material commonly presented in lecture courses yet not adequately covered in existing texts. All the basic principles and facts in a particular area are presented in a clear and straightforward style, to produce concise yet comprehensive accounts of topics covered in both core and specialist courses. Stereoelectronic effects - interactions between electronic orbitals in three dimensions - control the way that molecules are put together and the 'rules of engagement' which operate when they meet and react. An understanding of these effects will help the student develop a 'feel' for the nature of molecules and their capabilities, which is especially useful when considering reactivity. Although there are a vast numbers of reactions known, these may be grouped into a small number of mechanistic classes, then into a still smaller set of classes of stereoelectronic interaction. Stereoelectronic effects is deliberately non-mathematical in its approach, with reactions illustrated by real examples. It should provide the student with an understanding of fundamental relationships and a powerful but simple approach to thinking about Chemistry.

Every serious student of chemistry should try to develop a feel' for the way molecules behave - for the way they are put together and especially for the rules of engagement which operate when molecules meet and react. This primer describes how stereoelectronic effects control this behavior. It is the only concise text on this topic at the undergraduate level. This is an important subject area and the comprehensive yet concise coverage in this book shows students how to build up a powerful but simple way of thinking about chemistry.