Written for advanced undergraduate and graduate students as well as professionals in organic and medicinal chemistry and biochemistry, this unique text illuminates the black box of enzyme-catalyzed reactions by showing how enzymes are simply highly efficient organic chemists. Enzyme-catalyzed reactions are essential for the design of enzyme inhibitors in the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries, and of growing importance for process development in the chemical and biotechnology industries. Following a general introduction to the role of enzymes as catalysts, each chapter describes the organic reaction mechanisms that are used by enzymes to catalyze a particular family of organic transformations. The compilation includes a vast number of drawings to illustrate structures and mechanisms, and focuses on one or two examples of enzymes that catalyze the particular chemistry for that transformation. The Organic Chemistry of Enzyme-Catalyzed Reactions is not a book on enzymes, but rather the general mechanisms used by enzymes. Extensive references refer to the many experiments that have helped to elucidate enzyme mechanisms. Chemical model studies as an aid in mechanistic studies are also discussed, as are the design of haptens and the generation of catalytic antibodies (designer enzymes). Problem sets and solutions are provided to check the reader's understanding of the principles described.Key Features: Illustrates the organic mechanism associated with each enzyme-catalyzed reaction Makes the connection between organic reaction mechanisms and enzyme mechanisms Compiles the latest information about molecular mechanisms of enzyme reactions Accompanied by clearly drawn structures, schemes, and figures Includes an extensive bibliography on enzyme mechanisms covering the last 30 years Explains how enzymes can accelerate the rates of chemical reactions with high specificity Provides approaches to the design of inhibitors of enzyme-catalyzed reactions Categorizes the cofactors that are appropriate for catalyzing different classes of reactions Shows how chemical enzyme models are used for mechanistic studies Describes catalytic antibody design and mechanism Includes problem sets and solutions for each chapter Written in an informal and didactic style