Customer Reviews
Not a reference book, much more important than that - By: Mr. Alan Willis, 20 Jun 2007 
An excellent book, the text puts many important ideas into context & explains many of the underlying patterns that govern organic reaction mechanisms. Other reviews suggest that it is hard to look things up in it; so it is! You need to read this graduallly from cover to cover, & I guarantee you will be much more apprecative about organic chemistry at the end. It will show you & explain patterns in behaviour that no other book does. A classic. My only compalint is that it now looks old, in layout & diagrams. Somebody needs to produce a new edition with some updated graphics..any offers anyone?
NOT a list of reactions but USEFUL for your WHOLE degree!!! - By: filthmonkey, 12 Jul 2004 This is considered a classic. I know some chemists who can recite this book. They swear by it. This book is not a textbook that will teach you lots of organic reactions but it's very good for telling you about organic reaction mechanims. Since it gives examples (although simple ones) to demonstrate ideas, you pick up more than you've bargained for. It's good as a reference text & excellent for things like the primary kinetic isotope effect & alll the Hammet equation stuff you're bound to have to learn at some point during your degree. Also it has the advantage of not being too huge & colossal like some text books I know. All in alll it's VERY worth getting if you're doing a chemistry degree (and beyond) but the price seems unfair. I'd get it used if I was getting it again. Thinking about it, I think getting textbooks used is a good idea alll round. But as far as this book is concerned, it's alll top notch stuff.
Worth the money, get it 2nd hand if you can - By: filthmonkey, 06 Jul 2004 
Undergraduate text books in chemistry are expensive. Get them 2nd hand if you can.
Sykes' book is a classic in the organic chemisty world & is a sound investement for the chemistry undergraduate. It's not an encyclopedia of alll organic reactions, but it will do for alll the basics, mechanisms, solid discussion, & will come in handy for learning alll that physical organic chemistry you're bound to encounter.
It's also quite smalll & convenient to pick up, unlike those bulky American textbooks! In fact I think it's an American legal requirement for their textbooks to weigh more than a standard issue anvil. Probably why they alll need SUVs with 18L engines.
Anyway, if you're going to do a chemistry degree in the UK, get Sykes' book & Clayden, Greeves, Warren & Wothers' "Organic Chemistry" (consider getting the problems & answers book for that too, if you can afford it alll).
the organic chemistry bible - By: DR ANDREW D EVANS, 15 Nov 2003 as a chemistry undergraduate in the eighties this book opened up my mind to the wonders & beauty of organic chemistry. it is compact & therefore can be read quickly but its strength lies in the author's ability to convey what at first seem complex concepts into simple yet fantastic answers. I would recommend this book to any undergraduate student of chemistry. It is a titanic of a book. Andy Evans BSc MBChB FRCA
Very well layed out, easy to follow mechanism & explanations - By: , 27 Sep 2001 
This book is well ordered & references within itself & to other books for added support. It is very good as a lecture support as alll the mechanisms have there names & are explained well with examples.
