Organic chemistry compounds with oxygen

The next several chapters deal with the chemistry of various oxygen containing func tional groups The interplay of these important classes of compounds—alcohols ethers aldehydes ketones carboxylic acids and derivatives of carboxylic acids— IS fundamental to organic chemistry and biochemistry... 

Tellurium is the fourth element of the VIA family of the periodic table, which starts with oxygen. Since tellurium exhibits an electronic configuration similar to that of selenium and sulphur, the chemical behaviour of these elements is obviously closely related. This similarity was a hindrance to the greater development of tellurium chemistry. During several decades, research was restricted to an extrapolation of well-established reactions for the preparation and use of organic sulphur compounds to selenium, and mainly from selenium to tellurium. 

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