The elucidation of reaction mechanisms generally requires the carefully designed control of molecular symmetry to distinguish between the many possible reaction pathways. Making and Breaking Symmetry in Chemistry emphasises the crucial role played by symmetry in modern synthetic chemistry. After discussion of a number of famous classical experiments, the advances brought about by the introduction of new techniques, in particular NMR spectroscopy, are exemplified in numerous cases taken from the recent literature. Experimental verification of many of the predictions made in Woodward and Hoffmann's explication of the Conservation of Orbital Symmetry are described. Applications that involve the breaking of molecular symmetry to resolve these and other mechanistic problems in organic, inorganic and organometallic chemistry are presented in the first sections of the book, together with many examples of the detection of hitherto hidden rearrangement processes.Subsequently, under the aegis of making molecular symmetry, examples of the preparation of highly symmetrical molecules found in the organic, organometallic or inorganic domains are discussed. These include Platonic hydrocarbons or boranes, tetrahedranes, cubanes, prismanes, dodecahedrane, fullerene fragments such as corannulene, sumanene or semibuckminsterfullerene, and other systems of unusual geometries or bonding characteristics (Möbius strips, molecular brakes and gears, Chauvin's carbomers, Fitjer's rotanes, persubstituted rings, metal-metal multiple bonds, etc.). The text also contains vignettes of many of the scientists who made these major advances, as well as short sections that briefly summarise key features of important topics that underpin the more descriptive material. These include some aspects of chirality, NMR spectroscopy, and the use of isotopic substitution to break molecular symmetry. A brief appendix on point group symmetry and nomenclature is also helpfully provided.

The elucidation of reaction mechanisms generally requires the carefully designed control of molecular symmetry to distinguish between the many possible reaction pathways. Making and Breaking Symmetry in Chemistry emphasises the crucial role played by symmetry in modern synthetic chemistry. After discussion of a number of famous classical experiments, the advances brought about by the introduction of new techniques, in particular NMR spectroscopy, are exemplified in numerous cases taken from the recent literature. Experimental verification of many of the predictions made in Woodward and Hoffmann's explication of the Conservation of Orbital Symmetry are described. Applications that involve the breaking of molecular symmetry to resolve these and other mechanistic problems in organic, inorganic and organometallic chemistry are presented in the first sections of the book, together with many examples of the detection of hitherto hidden rearrangement processes. Subsequently, under the aegis of making molecular symmetry, examples of the preparation of highly symmetrical molecules found in the organic, organometallic or inorganic domains are discussed. These include Platonic hydrocarbons or boranes, tetrahedranes, cubanes, prismanes, dodecahedrane, fullerene fragments such as corannulene, sumanene or semibuckminsterfullerene, and other systems of unusual geometries or bonding characteristics (Möbius strips, molecular brakes and gears, Chauvin's carbomers, Fitjer's rotanes, persubstituted rings, metal-metal multiple bonds, etc.). The text also contains vignettes of many of the scientists who made these major advances, as well as short sections that briefly summarise key features of important topics that underpin the more descriptive material. These include some aspects of chirality, NMR spectroscopy, and the use of isotopic substitution to break molecular symmetry. A brief appendix on point group symmetry and nomenclature is also helpfully provided.

This book entitled “Chemical Symmetry Breaking” is a collective volume of state-of-the-art reports on unique nonlinear chemical and physical symmetry-breaking phenomena that were experimentally observed upon a thermally or photochemically induced phase transition in various organic condensed phases, such as metastable liquid crystals, crystals, amorphous solids, and colloidal polymer materials, only under nonequilibrium conditions. Each author summarizes the introductory section in simple terms but in detail for beginners in this field. We wish that many readers familiarize themselves with the general concepts and features of nonlinear and nonequilibrium (or out of equilibrium) complexity theory, which govern a variety of unique dynamic behaviors observed in chemistry, physics, life science and other fields, so that they may discover novel symmetry-breaking phenomena in their own research areas.

Addresses significant problems in physical biology and adjacent disciplines. This volume provides a perspective on the methods and concepts at the heart of chemical and biological behavior, covering the topics of visualization; theory and computation for complexity; and macromolecular function, protein folding, and protein misfolding

"This book emphasises the crucial role played by symmetry in modern synthetic chemistry, from famous classical experiments to advances brought about by the introduction of new techniques. The first part presents the breaking of molecular symmetry to resolve mechanistic problems, while the second part discusses the making of molecular symmetry, i.e., preparation of highly symmetrical molecules"--

Experts examine the mechanisms by which cells polarize, divide asymmetrically, and produce asymmetric structures, providing examples from bacteria, yeast, plants, invertebrates, and mammals. Discussion include the molecular basis of polarization, mechanisms, and more.

This text contains selected papers of the particle theorist, Professor Nambu. It comprises about 40 papers which made fundamental contributions to our understanding of particle physics during the last few decades. The unpublished lecture note on string theory (1969) and the first paper on spontaneous symmetry breaking (1961) are retyped and included. The book also contains a memoir of Professor Nambu on his research career.