Organic synthesis is the systematic preparation of a compound from a widely available starting material or the synthesis of a compound via a synthetic route that often can involve a series of different steps.

  • Organic chemistry often involves converting an available starting material into a required product in a multistep process.
  • Retro-synthesis involves working backwards from a desired product, and deducing the precursor molecules that can react to form the target molecule.
  • Functional group chemistry determines reaction conversions in synthetic routes.