Types of problems solved

Yet synthetic planning asks the opposite question—what reactants are necessary to give product C This requires that we think backward from products to reactants. This type of problem solving is a divergent process in that a great many potential reactants are possible and many possibilities must be explored before any one set of reactants is chosen as the solution. 

Because the development of PVC into a useful, important material is representative of the type of problem solving encountered in industrial chemistry, we will consider it in some detail. 

We discussed the development of PVC in Chapter 1 as an example of the types of problem-solving situations commonly encountered in the chemical-based industries. 

Most chemists need to be able to solve structure problems What compound will fit the spectral data A proper attitude toward this type of problem solving is needed, and nobody has said it better than Sherlock Holmes It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. Strategies are definitely needed. Generate possibilities, then select the best one that fits the data. If none fit, generate more possibilities and examine your assumptions. 

The type of problem solving illustrated by investigation of the acid decomposition of paper is quite typical of that which a practicing chemist confronts daily. The first step in successful problem solving is to identify the... 

This type of problem solving is really performed in reverse. We knew what the target reaction had to be (the end of the problem) and had to go back to other data given to solve the problem. Reaction mechanisms certainly aren t the only time we use this problem solving strategy in general chemistry. Stop for a moment and try to think of another type of chemistry problem where working the problem in reverse makes the most sense. 

Often we would like to predict how much of a particular product will form from a given amount of a reactant. Other times, we perform an experiment, measure the amount of product formed, and use this information to deduce the quantity or composition of a reactant. Balanced chemical equations can be powerful tools for this type of problem solving. 

---