1999 Volume 57 Issue 12 Pages 1092-1107
The interpretation of the significance of the results from X-ray crystallographic analysis in organic chemistry is discussed. It is important to investigate the three-dimensional precise structure for the research on characterization and chemical reactivity. Therefore, structure establishment for the basic molecular units such as azabenzenes is introduced to present its achievement in chemistry involving heterocyclic aromatic compounds, in the first place. In addition, stereochemistry of aromatic amide compounds and investigations on asymmetric transformation are the subjects with respect to X-ray analysis. Secondly, the structures of natural organic compounds, biologically active substances, nucleic acid compounds, and mutagenic or carcinogenic principles are discussed. Finally, an achievement of X-ray analysis in characterization of nano-scale supramolecular compounds is presented.
The latest achievements based on my personal experience over 20 years in X-ray analyses are described to confirm its significance in organic chemistry. It is also tried to present the progress now being made in X-ray analysis in prospective.
