Kenneth L. Kirk – författare

The elements in group 17 (VIlA) of the periodic table of elements-fluorine (F), chlorine (CI), bromine (Br), and iodine (I)-were designated by Berzelius as "halogens" (Greek hals, sea salt; gennao, I beget) because of their propensity to form salts. In this first of the two volumes of Bio­ chemistry of the Halogens, the biochemistry of the elemental halogens and inorganic halides is reviewed. Discovery, properties, and biochemistry of the elemental halogens are reviewed first (Chapter 1). This is followed by a review of the developments in the various areas of inorganic halide biochemistry (Chapters 2 through 5). The biochemistry of thyroid hor­ mones is considered in Chapter 6, while biohalogenation, an important link between inorganic and organic halogen biochemistry, is reviewed in Chapter 7. Chapter 8 covers the biochemistry of products produced by human-inspired halogenation, in particular, poly halogenated compounds that present environmental problems. In Chapter 9, the process is reversed and biodehalogenation is reviewed. In each subject, the attempt has been made to find an appropriate balance between depth and breadth of treatment, since a thorough, in­ depth review of this field would not be possible in a single volume. To provide readers not familiar with subjects with the necessary background to place subsequent discussions in perspective, brief historical develop­ ments of many of the topics are given.

The elements in group 17 (VIlA) of the periodic table of elements-fluorine (F), chlorine (CI), bromine (Br), and iodine (I)-were designated by Berzelius as "halogens" (Greek hals, sea salt; gennao, I beget) because of their propensity to form salts. In this first of the two volumes of Bio­ chemistry of the Halogens, the biochemistry of the elemental halogens and inorganic halides is reviewed. Discovery, properties, and biochemistry of the elemental halogens are reviewed first (Chapter 1). This is followed by a review of the developments in the various areas of inorganic halide biochemistry (Chapters 2 through 5). The biochemistry of thyroid hor­ mones is considered in Chapter 6, while biohalogenation, an important link between inorganic and organic halogen biochemistry, is reviewed in Chapter 7. Chapter 8 covers the biochemistry of products produced by human-inspired halogenation, in particular, poly halogenated compounds that present environmental problems. In Chapter 9, the process is reversed and biodehalogenation is reviewed. In each subject, the attempt has been made to find an appropriate balance between depth and breadth of treatment, since a thorough, in­ depth review of this field would not be possible in a single volume. To provide readers not familiar with subjects with the necessary background to place subsequent discussions in perspective, brief historical develop­ ments of many of the topics are given.

Biochemistry of Halogenated Organic Compounds has been written as a general reference source for researchers in several related areas, including organic chemists, medicinal chemists, pharmacologists, toxicologists, and medical researchers. The development of halogenated compounds as medicinal agents and pharmacological tools and the fascinating biochemi­ cal processes that have been discovered and studied using these analogues have generated extremely active areas of research and an enormous volume of literature. Thus, halogenated organic compounds pervade every aspect of biochemistry, a fact made apparent by the numerous reviews and monographs available on individual topics-halogenated nucleosides, halogenated carbohydrates, and so forth. Given the quantity of material already written on these topics, some of which material is quite current, it might be asked whether a one-volume review of these subjects is useful, or possible. Having now completed this work, I feel the answer to both questions is an emphatic yes. There are fascinating stories to be related in each area, and, where appropriate, I have attempted to develop these topics . from a historical perspective. For example, the discovery of the anticancer activity of fluorouracil, the unraveling of the several mechanisms of its action, and the development of a host of later generations of anticancer and antiviral agents based on the parent fluoro-, iodo-, bromo-, and trifluoromethylpyrimidines were, and are, contributions of major magnitude to medical science.