Organic Geochemistry The Organic Chemist’s Approach

This chapter outlines the premises and methods of “molecular organic geochemistry”, which encompasses the characterization of organic matter at the molecular level as it occurs in sediments and other natural environments.

Abstract

My purpose in writing this chapter has been to outline the premises and methods of "molecular organic geochemistry". This term encompasses the characterization of organic matter at the molecular level as it occurs in sediments and other natural environments. The likelihood of establishing firm correlations between a compound and its past history increases the more completely the structure is known. Many of the later chapters exemplify this approach and provide a detailed key to the literature, whereas this chapter is concerned more with presenting the overall scheme.