Click chemistry book review - 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions and unplanned click chemistry implications

Padwa & Pearson
Synthetic Applications of 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Chemistry Toward Heterocycles and Natural Products (Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds: a Series of Monographs)

Click chemistry is soaring and the most prominent ones are cycloaditions such as Diels-Alder and alkyne-azide reactions which often meet the stringent requirements for click reactions. In this background it is interesting to read this 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition book which was finished right before the birth of click chemistry concept.

In 940 pages, the many types of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions (1984-2000) were covered, with emphasis on the applications in real organic synthesis, either natural products or otherwise. Two other features are well covered as well: the transformation of cycloaddition products into other forms of products and stereochemistry of these cycloaddition reactions.

There might be an unplanned rewarding outcome - we are almost certain that some of reactions described here will be brought in for click chemistry candidates.