Fifty Fascinating Molecules from A to Z

Fifty Fascinating Molecules From A to Z, Volume 1 follows on from the author’s earlier books Every Molecule Tells a Story and Every Molecule Matters and relates the stories of a wide range of molecules.

They encompass familiar names – medicines including aspirin, cisplatin and morphine; flavourings such as menthol and vanillin; and substances of abuse such as cocaine and methamphetamine. But there are the unexpected, like the poisons that appear in the stories of James Bond and Dr Crippen; the molecules that give chillies and mustard their particular charm; the polymers that became a part of everyday life in the twentieth century – polythene, nylon and terylene; and other everyday molecules, such as hexenal, which plays a role in the smell of a summer’s day; dimethylsulphide, which can transport you to the seaside; and water, a substance that so many people take for granted. It is not just about molecules. Chemicals, including the medicines we rely on, were brought into use by scientists. Read about these molecules and their creators here.

• Many important medicinal molecules are featured, including Artemisinin, Aspirin, Atropine, Cisplatin, Codeine, Ivermectin, Mefloquine, Morphine, Paracetamol, Penicillin, Quinine, Streptomycin, Sulfanilamide, Taxol, Tetracycline, and Thalidomide
• Numerous abused drugs of importance are featured, including Cathinones and Khat, Cocaine, Desomorphine, Fentanyl, Heroin (Morphine), LSD, Methamphetamine, and Oxycodone, and ‘Spice’
• Several important polymers are discussed, including Nylon, Polythene, and Terylene
• Several molecules important in the environment are included, such as Dichlorodifluoromethane (CF2Cl2), Chloromethane, Dimethylsulfide, Octane (and isooctane), Water
• The text also covers a number of molecules with particular smells and/or flavours, such as 2-acetylpyrroline, Capsaicin, Chanel No. 5, Cinnamaldehyde, Limonene, Menthol, and Vanillin
• The book is complemented by a comprehensive bibliography comprising nearly 1,000 references from the original literature, providing all the background information one could reasonably expect for each one of the molecules detailed throughout the chapters