Reddit reviews Classics in Total Synthesis: Targets, Strategies, Methods

Classics in Total Synthesis: Targets, Strategies, Methods Paperback
by K. C. Nicolaou
http://www.amazon.com/Classics-Total-Synthesis-Targets-Strategies/dp/3527292314

Organic Synthesis: The Disconnection Approach Paperback – December
by Stuart Warren
http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Synthesis-The-Disconnection-Approach/dp/0470712368

And the best collection of total synthesis what is found on the internet: http://chemistrybydesign.oia.arizona.edu/app.php

There are a few books, such as The Organic Chemistry of Drug Design and Drug Action by Silverman (a medicinal chemistry textbook) and Classics in Total Synthesis by Nikolaou and Sorenson that would be very specific things. Silverman is very what are inhibitors, what does LD50/ED50 actually mean, SAR analysis, combi-chem, etc. Nikolaou and Sorsenson cover the classic synthesis of things such as erythronolide B, progesterone, strychnine and cocaine (the inactive enantiomer, of course).

There are obviously other resources, but I do really appreciate these texts as they are a part of my personal library.

Source: I have a BS in medicinal chemistry and am a PhD candidate in chemistry (focus in bio-organic for drug design)

Here is the mobile version of your link

There's a lot of good questions in there. As far as determining the structure, that has changed a lot over the years. I suggest you read up on Woodward's cholesterol synthesis, or check out the book Classics in Total Synthesis for more detail into how these molecules are discovered and then synthesized. If you're at a university, that book should be available in the library.

Yes, that's a very good book to read.

I think something like Classics in Total Synthesis would also be a good introduction to a bunch of reactions and the art/science/whatever of advanced synthesis to a budding Organic Chemist. I'd say it a bit less dry than your standard textbook too, but I may be biased there. You can almost definitely rent it at a university library. If you don't want to do that, there are tons of reviews that have similar themes.

But if you have tons of time during a summer, the best thing to do would be to get involved in research. You might even just sit in on some group's group meetings if you live near a research university. And then ask to be more involved.