The Arrangement of Atoms in Space Second Revised Edition, with Preface by John Wislicenus and An Appendix Stereochemistry Among Inorganic Substances by Alfred Werner Translated by Eiloart

BIRTH OF STEREOCHEMISTRY. Jacobus Henricus van t Hoff s The Arrangement of Atoms in Space (originally published in 1874, with an expanded edition in 1898) is one of the most foundational works in the history of chemistry. It marks the birth of stereochemistry, a field concerned with the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in molecules and their influence on chemical behavior. Van t Hoff was the first to propose that carbon atoms in organic compounds adopt a tetrahedral geometry, a revolutionary concept that fundamentally reshaped organic chemistry. By the time the 1898 edition was published, van t Hoff s ideas had gained widespread acceptance, influencing a new generation of chemists, including Emil Fischer in carbohydrate chemistry and Victor Meyer in stereochemical analysis. The book played a pivotal role in cementing stereochemistry as an essential discipline, linking molecular structure to properties such as optical activity and chiral recognition in biological systems. BOOK DETAILS AND CONDITION: 8vo, VG, Dominican Priory stamp, Woodchester UK. From Arthur C. Greenberg History of Chemistry Library.…