Hi Ryan, yes, this is an excellent textbook supplement for the serious organic chemistry student, one that's been around for a long time. However, in my opinion, the need and usefulness of supplementary texts like this depend on several factors. First is the amount of time you will have to devote to the course - I have had students buy supplementary materials such as study guides and then make little or no use of them mainly for lack of time, but also I think because they were simply overwelmed with too much material. That's someting to keep in mind. Second, how will the classes be taught? Some instructors will make good use of your regular textbook in terms of the way they teach and in the content of their lectures and exams, while, particularly if you enroll in an honors section, you will likely find that the exam questions will go a little "beyond" the basics and require a strong basic understanding of the principles. All in all, I would recommend Sykes. Reaction mechanisms are perhaps the biggest challenge in organic chemistry, and a decent mastery of mechanisms, and of the principles underlying them, will put you in the driver's seat where most reactions are concerned. Especially in Organic II, you will likely get reactions by the bucketful! But it would be good if you could first get a good luck at the regular textbook you will be using, as well as a look at the Sykes book before ordering it "blind", as you may find that you really won't need it or it may not "read" very well for you.
"I found this book to be extremely valuable when I took organic chemistry. It was also of great help two years later when I was studying for MCAT. The book is pretty expensive--about $40-$50, so you might want to check your library first. If you want to really understand organic chemistry but are having trouble, check this book out before you give up."
Good luck!
Steve
Sykes Table of Contents:
Structure, Reactivity, and Mechanism.
Energetics, Kinetics, and the Investigation of Mechanism.
The Strengths of Acids and Bases.
Nucleophilic Substitution at a Saturated Carbon Atom.
Carbocations, Electron-Deficient N and O Atoms and their Reactions.
Electrophilic and Nucleophilic Substitutionin Aromatic Systems.
Electrophilic and Nucleophilic Addition in C=C.
Nucleophilic Addition to C=O.
Elimination Reactions.
Carbanions and Their Reactions.
Radicals and their Reactions.
Symmetry Controlled Reactions.
Linear Free Energy Relationships.
Select Biography.
Index.
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