Covering the gap between basic textbooks and over-specialized scientific publications, this is the first reference available to describe this interdisciplinary topic for PhD students and scientists starting in the field. The result is an introductory description providing suitable practical examples of the basic methods used to study tautomeric processes, as well as the theories describing the tautomerism and proton transfer phenomena. It also includes different spectroscopic methods for examining tautomerism, such as UV-VIs, time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, and NMR spectroscopy, plus the theoretical and practical background information. With its excellent overview of the methods, theories and examples, this is the perfect guide for any scientist dealing with tautomeric compounds in a wider context.

Reflecting the substantially increased interest in tautomerism, this book demonstrates the transformation of fundamental knowledge into novel concepts and the latest applications. Each chapter introduces the theoretical background, before reviewing and critically discussing the experimental techniques and corresponding applications. Special emphasis is placed on tautomerism under unusual conditions, such as in supramolecular solids and at surfaces, displaying the wide scope between basic research and timely applications.

Reflecting the substantially increased interest in tautomerism, this book demonstrates the transformation of fundamental knowledge into novel concepts and the latest applications. Each chapter introduces the theoretical background, before reviewing and critically discussing the experimental techniques and corresponding applications. Special emphasis is placed on tautomerism under unusual conditions, such as in supramolecular solids and at surfaces, displaying the wide scope between basic research and timely applications.

After studying ring-chain tautomerism of keto ami des and related derivatives of functionalized carboxylic acids for more than ten years, the authors consider it useful to summarize available results on these prototropic equilibria. First attempts to systematize the material were published by Jones in 1963 (Chapter 1, ref. 11). Much, sometimes contradictory, experimental data were scattered about the literature at that time; spectroscopic methods, applied to this field during the last two decades, were needed to revise several previous concepts. In the following years special aspects of ring-chain tautomerism have been discussed occasionally, but no attempt was previously made to cover the whole field. This review is designed to provide a comprehensive compilation of ring-chain tautomerism with one exception: carbohydrates which have already been treated repeatedly, have been omitted. The book is based on a monograph published in Russian: R. E. Valters, Ring-Chain Isomerism in Organic Chemistry. Zinatne. Riga, 1978. There fore, the arrangement and development of the theme is due mainly to one of the authors (R.E.Y.). In the present work the literature has been covered until the end of 1982.

This book has been thoroughly updated and expanded, with additional contributions from experts in the field, to include all new drugs available to the anaesthetist and intensive care specialist. Basic pharmacological principles are dealt with methodically and with many highly annotated diagrams and tables.