Architecture and evolution of organic chemistry

Abstract

(Figure Presented) Organic syntheses reported in the literature between 1850 and 2000 are analyzed at the simplified level of a connected network (see the picture of the network for 1850). Fundamental statistical laws that govern organic syntheses are established. These laws allow the estimation of the synthetic and industrial usefulness of organic molecules. © 2005 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.