This is a list of publications in chemistry, organized by field.
Some factors that correlate with publication notability include: Topic creator – A publication that created a new topic. Breakthrough – A publication that changed scientific knowledge significantly. Influence – A publication that has significantly influenced the world or has had a massive impact on the teaching of chemistry.
Foundations
The Sceptical Chymist
Description: Boyle, in the form of a dialogue, argued that chemical theories should be firmly grounded in experiment before their acceptance, and for the foundation of chemistry as a science separate from medicine and alchemy.
Importance: Topic Creator, Influence. Boyle, in this book, became the first to argue that experiment should form the basis of all theory, a common practice in chemistry today. He also expounded on a rudimentary atomic theory and the existence of chemical elements beyond the classic earth, fire, air, and water."From the mazy and incoherent alchemical and iatrochemical doctrines, the former based on false conceptions of matter, the latter on erroneous views of life processes and physiology, a new science arose – the study of the composition of substances. The formulation of this definition of chemistry was due to Robert Boyle. In his Sceptical Chemist (1662) he freely criticized the prevailing scientific views and methods, with the object of showing that true knowledge could only be gained by the logical application of the principles of experiment and deduction." He is seen as the father of chemistry,Famous Chemists, Sir William A. Tilden, George Routledge & Sons Ltd., (1921), pg 1 – 21. and this is his most celebrated book,A History of Chemistry, Volume 2, J. R. Partington, Macmillan, reprinted 1969, pg 497. with continued relevance to the present day.Doubts and paradoxes, Mike Sutton, Chemistry World, Volume 6, Number 4, April 2011, Page 46 – 49, Royal Society of Chemistry, ISSN 1473-7604
Traité Élémentaire de Chimie Traité Élémentaire de Chimie (available in English as Elementary Treatise of Chemistry) - Antoine Lavoisier, 1789
Description: This book was intended as an introduction to new theories in chemistry and as such, was one of the first Chemistry textbooks.Traité Élémentaire de Chimie – Details and contents (in French)
Importance: Introduction, Influence. Aside from being one of the first chemistry textbooks, the book was one of the first to state the law of conservation of mass, define a chemical element, and contain a list of known elements."The spread of Lavoisier's doctrines was greatly facilitated by the defined and logical form in which he presented them in his Traite Elementaire de Chimie (presente dans un ordre nouveau et d'apres les decouvertes modernes) (1789)."
Méthode de Nomenclature Chimique Guyton de Morveau, L. B.; Lavoisier, A. L.; Berthollet, C. L.; de Fourcroy, A. F. Méthode de Nomenclature Chimique, Paris, 1787, available in English as Chymical Nomenclature. Some details and a picture available at IUPAC nomenclature#History
Description: This publication laid out a logical system for naming chemical substances (mainly chemical elements and inorganic compounds).
Importance: Prior to this publication, a multitude of names were often used for the same substance. This publication led to an international consensus on how to name chemical substances.
A New System of Chemical Philosophy A New System of Chemical Philosophy - John Dalton, 1808–1827
Description: This book explained Dalton's theory of atoms and its applications to chemistry.
Importance: The book was one of the first to describe a modern atomic theory, a theory that lies at the basis of modern chemistry. It is the first to introduce a table of atomic and molecular weights. Surprisingly, given the period in which the book was written, of the five properties of atoms that Dalton listed, only two have been shown to be incorrect.
The Dependence Between the Properties of the Atomic Weights of the Elements The Dependence Between the Properties of the Atomic Weights of the Elements - Dmitri Mendeleev Zeitschrift für Chemie 12, 405–406 (1869) Online version
Description and Importance: In this paper the periodic table was introduced. Notice that the table in the above link is the original one. Since then the table structure was slightly changed and new elements were added to it.
Organic chemistry
Science of Synthesis: Houben–Weyl Methods of Molecular Transformations Volume titles are here Thieme: Stuttgart, 48 volumes, 2000–2009 (print and electronic version available)
Description: Contains synthetic models selected by world-renowned experts, with full experimental procedures and background information. Considers methods from journals, books, and patent literature from the early 19th century up to the present day and presents important synthetic methods for all classes of compounds. Critically evaluates the preparative applicability and significance of the synthetic methods.
Importance: A reference publication.
March's Advanced Organic Chemistry: Reactions, Mechanisms, and Structure Michael B. Smith, Jerry March Wiley-Interscience, 5th edition, 2001, Wiley-Interscience, 6th edition, 2007,
Description: A comprehensive reference for organic chemistry with over 25,000 references.
Importance: A reference publication."His seminal reference-Advanced Organic Chemistry-is known worldwide and has been a mainstay among chemists for 30 years". New York Times obituary.
The Logic of Chemical Synthesis Elias James Corey, Xue-Min Cheng Wiley-Interscience, 1995,
Description: Describes the logic underlying the rational design of complex organic synthesis.
Importance: Breakthrough, Influence
Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis Theodora Greene, Peter G. M. Wuts Wiley-Interscience, 1st edition, 1981 Wiley-Interscience, 2nd edition, 1991 Wiley-Interscience, 3rd edition, 1999, Wiley-Interscience, 4th edition, 2007, Wiley-Interscience, 5th edition, 2014,
Description: A comprehensive reference for the usage of protecting groups in organic synthesis.
Importance: A reference publication.
Comprehensive Organic Transformations Richard C. Larock Wiley-VCH 1st edition: 2nd edition: 1999,
Description: A standard reference for the practicing organic chemist. These books are just enormous lists of key references indexed by functional group transformations.
Importance: A reference publication.
Stereochemistry of Carbon Compounds Ernest L. Eliel 1st edition: 1962 Current edition: renamed Stereochemistry of Organic Compounds, 1994 (by Eliel and Samuel H. Wilen)
Description: Systematic and complete exposition of all aspects of organic stereochemistry
Importance: Standard advanced text for organic stereochemistry.Book review of Stereochemistry of Organic Compounds in Journal of Chemical Education 1996
The Conservation of Orbital Symmetry Robert Burns Woodward and Roald Hoffmann Verlag Chemie Academic Press 1st edition: 1970
Description: This book summarizes a series of publications (the first in 1965) by the Nobel Prize winning authors where they describe the mechanism of a series of pericyclic reactions based upon the conservation of orbital symmetry leading to what are now called the Woodward–Hoffmann rules.
Importance: The concepts outlined in this text changed the field of organic chemistry and ushered in the frontier molecular orbital theory approach toward understanding reactions.
Classics in Total Synthesis K.C. Nicolaou and E.J. Sorensen Current edition: 1996
Description. The synthesis of famous molecules.
Importance. A standard postgraduate text book for the study of total synthesis and a valuable reference work for experts. "..destined to become a classic itself".
Inorganic chemistry
Chemical Applications of Group Theory F. Albert Cotton Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated, 1st Ed. 1963, 3rd Ed. 1990.
Description: Explains the use of symmetry groups in describing molecular symmetry and its role in determining molecular properties.
Importance: Significant influence by introducing group theory to a much wider group of chemists.
Advanced Inorganic Chemistry F. Albert Cotton and Geoffrey Wilkinson Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated, 1st Ed. 1962, 6th Ed. 1999
Description: A classic general textbook for an undergraduate course in inorganic chemistry
Importance: This book is not only a good introduction to the subject, it was very different from earlier texts and "led to a fundamental shift in the way in which inorganic chemistry was studied". It seemed to be symbolic of the renaissance in inorganic chemistry starting in the 1950s. Every new text in inorganic chemistry since this text has had to respond to it.
Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry F. Sherwood Taylor and H. M. N. H. Irving Heinemann, 1st Ed 1931, 10th Ed. 1960
Description: Unique very advanced and comprehensive coverage of every element known at the time by chapter describing all known compounds yet discovered or synthesised. Approaches chemistry as the study of elements and compounds without the later emphasis on bond theory and analysis.
Importance: Inspired and instructed generations of English speaking scientists and students.
Chemistry of the Elements N. N. Greenwood and A. Earnshaw Heinemann (later Elsevier), 1st Ed 1984, 2nd Ed 1997
Description: Unique comprehensive descriptive coverage of all the elements and their compounds, with a strong focus on 'real life' and industrial applications.
Importance: The most comprehensive one-volume text on inorganic chemistry available; a worthy successor to Taylor and Irving (see above).
Physical chemistry
Physical Chemistry (Atkins and de Paula) P. W. Atkins Oxford University Press, 1st Ed. 1978, 10th Ed. 2014 (with Julio de Paula from 7th Ed. 2002)
Description: A classic general textbook for an undergraduate course in physical chemistry
Importance: This book is not only a good introduction to the subject, it was very different from earlier texts and altered the way physical chemistry was taught. The first edition was very widely used where English is the language of instruction. Other texts had to respond to the lead from Atkins. The current edition is the 10th edition.
Physical Chemistry (Berry, Rice and Ross) R. Stephen Berry, Stuart A. Rice, and John Ross Oxford University Press, 1st Ed. 1980, 2nd Ed. 2000
Description: An encyclopedic text and reference suitable for advanced undergraduate or graduate study.
Importance: This massive text by outstanding research workers begins with simple systems and proceeds logically to the more complex phenomena of physical chemistry. The original literature is cited extensively, making the work useful as a reference as well as a textbook. Many topics of current research are treated. Its advanced and exhaustive coverage of the field, together with extensive coverage of modern topics, eclipses the former champion, the text by E. A. Moelwyn-Hughes.
Methods in Physical Chemistry (Schäfer, Schmidt) Rolf Schäfer, Peter C. Schmidt Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 2012
Description: A broad overview of commonly used methods in physical chemistry and their practical aspects.
Importance: This book is designed for students, supporting them in the master and doctoral theses.
Biochemistry
"A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid" James D. Watson and Francis Crick Nature 171, 737–738 (1953) © Macmillan Publishers Ltd. Downloadable PDF
Description: In this paper the structure of DNA was proposed. It consisted of a double helix with a phosphate backbone, unlike Linus Pauling and R.B. Corey's double helix where the backbone consisted of the bases. They conclude with the sly remark: "It has not escaped our notice that the specific pairing we have postulated immediately suggests a possible copying mechanism for the genetic material."
Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence