Reddit reviews Advanced Practical Organic Chemistry, Third Edition

For pleasure:

• The Disappearing Spoon
  
• Periodic Tales
  
• Stuff Matters
  
• Molecules of Murder
  
• The Elements of Murder
  
• The Elements
  
• Molecules
  
• Molecules that Changed the World
  
• The Chemistry Book
  
  Undergraduate
  
  
• Organic:
  Organic Chemistry as a Second Language, The art of writing reasonable organic reaction mechanisms
  
  
• Inorganic: Inorganic Chemistry, Molecular Symmetry and Group Theory
  
  
• Analytical: Principles of Instrumental Anlsysis, Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry
  
  Graduate
  
  
• Organic: Advanced Practical Organic Chemistry, March's Advanced Organic Chemistry, Greene's Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, Purification of Laboratory Chemicals, Strategic Applications of Named Reactions in Organic Synthesis
  
• Inorganic: Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

Anything by Feynmann are great reads. For upper division instrumental analysis, spectroscopy, and quantum I wholly recommend QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter by Richard P. Feynman et al. It describes all the concepts in the book in layman's terms in a brilliant narrative of chemistry. I recommend it to anyone that wants to learn about the strangeness of physics and chemistry. It is easy to digest.

The Feynman Lectures on Physics, although pricey helped me survive physics (I have the paperbacks). It seems you can read the entirety online at that site.

If you choose to do a lot of organic chemistry laboratory work then Advanced Practical Organic Chemistry is a really great resource. It covers just about everything you need to know to be very competent and safe in the lab. I found a used copy of the second edition that has served me well. I don't know what has been updated in the third edition.

I agree with /u/lmo2th Pauling has written albeit old but definitive books on chemistry. Although it can be very difficult to read and knowledge of differential equations is required, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics with Applications to Chemistry by Linus Pauling et al. was the most succinct book on the nitty gritty math of QM I found.

I recently graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry, it was difficult, but I loved every minute I spent in the lab doing research and can't imagine doing anything else. Edit: QED and Feynmann Lectures are great reads for lower division classes. Save the second two for if you decide on chemistry.

This book was a life-saver when I was in grad school doing total synthesis

http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Practical-Organic-Chemistry-Edition/dp/1439860971

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1439860971

I'd recommend buying and reading this book as it covers most of the basic as well as slightly niche techniques you will need during your time in a synthetic lab. This is particularly useful for learning how to set up efficient columns (how polar a solvent system to use, and how much silica to use for a given mass of crude material).

Specifically regarding yields, TLC is a great tool, both to check if a reaction has gone to completion (limiting reagent starting material present will inhibit yields) but also when using a separating funnel (say you are extracting into an organic solvent, you can TLC the organic layer after 4 extractions and if there is no product observed, then you know you won't have any material left in your aqueous layer).

It's always best to do reactions under nitrogen, and always make sure to use dry solvents (from a still or solvent purification system) when using moisture sensitive reagents e.g. NaH.

There are many other tips but they are reaction specific, but I will say the more time you spend in the lab, your yields will naturally increase as your skills improve (as long as the reaction allows it). Good luck!