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Synthon

In retrosynthetic analysis, a synthon is a destructural unit within a molecule which is related to a possible synthetic operation. The term was coined in 1967 by E. J. Corey. He noted in 1988 that the 'word synthon has now come to be used to mean synthetic building block rather than retrosynthetic fragmentation structures'.It was noted in 1998 that the phrase did not feature very prominently in Corey's 1981 book The Logic of Chemical Synthesis, as it was not included in the index. Because synthons are charged, when placed into a synthesis a neutral form is found commercially instead of forming and using the potentially volatile charged synthons. In retrosynthetic analysis, a synthon is a destructural unit within a molecule which is related to a possible synthetic operation. The term was coined in 1967 by E. J. Corey. He noted in 1988 that the 'word synthon has now come to be used to mean synthetic building block rather than retrosynthetic fragmentation structures'.It was noted in 1998 that the phrase did not feature very prominently in Corey's 1981 book The Logic of Chemical Synthesis, as it was not included in the index. Because synthons are charged, when placed into a synthesis a neutral form is found commercially instead of forming and using the potentially volatile charged synthons. In planning the synthesis of phenylacetic acid, two synthons are identified: a nucleophilic 'COOH−' group, and an electrophilic 'PhCH2+' group. Of course, both synthons do not exist per se; synthetic equivalents corresponding to the synthons are reacted to produce the desired reactant. In this case, the cyanide anion is the synthetic equivalent for the COOH− synthon, while benzyl bromide is the synthetic equivalent for the benzyl synthon.

[ "Stereochemistry", "Organic chemistry", "Inorganic chemistry" ]
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