The Chemistry of Amidines and Imidates: v. 2

This volume addressing amidines and related compounds is one of a series "The Chemistry of Functional Groups". Each volume aims to cover all aspects of the chemistry of one of the important functional groups in organic chemistry. The emphasis is laid on the preparation, properties and reactions of the functional group treated and on the effects which it exerts both in the immediate vicinity of the group in question and in the whole molecule. Each of the authors is asked not to give an encyclopaedic coverage of the subject, but to concentrate on the most important recent developments and mainly on material that has not been adequately covered by reviews or other secondary sources by the time of writing of the chapter, and to address himself to the reader who is assumed to be at a fairly advanced postgraduate level. It is realized that no plan can be devised for a volume that would give a complete coverage of the field with no overlap between chapters, while at the same time preserving the readability of the text. The editor set himself the goal of attaining reasonable coverage with moderate overlap, with a minimum of cross-references between chapters.
In this manner, sufficient freedom is given to the authors to produce readable quasi-monographic chapters. An introductory chapter dealing with the general and theoretical aspects of the group. It also includes chapters discussing the characterization and characteristics of the functional groups, (eg qualitative and quantitative methods of determination including chemical and physical methods, MS, UV, IR, NMR, ESR and PES), as well as the activating and directive effects exerted by the group, and its basicity, acidity or complex-forming ability.