Heterocycles in Life and Society: An Introduction to Heterocyclic Chemistry, Biochemistry and Applications

PREFACE TO SECOND ENGLISH EDITIONPREFACE TO FIRST ENGLISH EDITION 1 MOLECULAR RINGS STUDDED WITH JEWELS1.1 From Homocycle to Heterocycle 1.2 Building Heterocycles from Benzene 1.3 Some More Kinds of Heterocycles 1.4 Problems 1.5 Suggested Reading 2 WHY NATURE PREFERS HETEROCYCLES 2.1 Reactions for All Tastes 2.2 Heterocycles as Acids and Bases 2.3 Heterocycles and Metals 2.4 There are Subtle Ties of Power. ' 2.5 Tautomerism: Heterocycles and Their Masks' 2.6 Problems 2.7 Suggested Reading 3 HETEROCYCLES AND HEREDITARY INFORMATION 3.1 Nucleic Acids 3.2 The Double Helix 3.3 How One DNA Doubles Itself 3.4 Protein Synthesis. Genetic Code and Genome 3.5 What are Mutations? 3.6 Mysterious Telomers 3.7 Gene Expression 3.8 Problems 3.9 Suggested Reading 4 ENZYMES, COENZYMES AND VITAMINS 4.1 Molecular Robots 4.2 Coenzymes and Enzymes as Joint Molecular Ventures' 4.3 Vitamins, the Molecules of Health' 4.4 Ribozymes: Vestiges of an Ancient World 4.5 Problems 4.6 Suggested Reading 5 HETEROCYCLES AND BIOENERGETICS 5.1 ATP as the Universal Currency of Energy 5.2 Breathing 5.3 Problems 5.4 Suggested Reading 6 HETEROCYCLES AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS 6.1 Chlorophyll: Sunlight-receiving Antenna and Energy Carrier 6.2 What Daylight can Achieve 6.3 Photosynthesis without Light 6.4 Problems 6.5 Suggested Reading 7 HETEROCYCLES AND HEALTH 7.1 Medicines from a Natural Storehouse 7.2 Heterocycles versus Infectious Microbes 7.3 Heterocycles and Viral Infections 7.4 Heterocycles and the Diseases of Our Century 7.5 Heterocyclic Molecules in Combat with Ulcer and Sexual Disfunctions 7.6 Problems 7.7 Suggested Reading 8 HETEROCYCLES IN AGRICULTURE 8.1 A Century of Chemical Warfare against Weeds 8.2 Regulators of Plant Growth 8.3 The Struggle against Voracious Insects 8.4 Resisting the Kingdoms of Mustiness and Rot 8.5 Heterocycles in Animal Husbandry 8.6 Combinatorial Chemistry and Functional Genomics in the Synthesis of Biologically Active Heterocyclic Compounds 8.7 Problems 8.8 Suggested Reading 9 HETEROCYCLES IN INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY 9.1 Heterocycles and Natural Colors 9.2 Dyes 9.3 Fluorescent Agents 9.4 Color Change Compounds 9.5 Fire Retardancy 9.6 Photographic Materials and Recorders of Information 9.7 Heterocycles as Food Additives 9.8 Heterocycles as Cosmetics and Perfumery Ingredients 9.9 Other Applications 9.10 Problems 9.11 Suggested Reading 10 HETEROCYCLES AND SUPRAMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY 10.1 Molecular Recognition and Host-Guest Interactions 10.2 Self-assembling Molecular Systems 10.3 Problems 10.4 Suggested Reading 11 HETEROCYCLES AND 21st CENTURY CHALLENGES 11.1 Energy Problems 11.2 Ecology and Green Chemistry 11.3 Biotechnology and Related Problems 11.4 From Molecular Devices to Molecular Computer 11.5 Problems 11.6 Suggested Reading 12 THE ORIGIN OF HETEROCYCLES 12.1 Origin of the Universe and Appearance of Chemical Elements 12.2 Iterstellar Molecules 12.3 Organic Compounds in Comets and Meteorites 12.4 Do Heterocycles exist on the Moon and Mars? 12.5 The Atmosphere of Earth and Other Planets 12.6 Heterocycles and the Origin of the Biosphere 12.7 Problems 12.8 Suggested Reading CONCLUSION ANSWERS AND REFERENCES TO SELECTED PROBLEMS INDEX