Draws on fundamental physics and chemistry to furnish an overview of the exotic and complex chemistry occurring in star-forming clouds

Provides a basic understanding of astrochemistry, helping readers to better interpret data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA), the first global telescope

Describes chemical evolution from interstellar clouds to planetary systems, in contrast to the conventional approach of studying pre-solar materials in the solar system

Introduction.- Derivation of Molecular Abundances.- Basic Concepts for Gas-Phase Chemical Reactions.- Chemistry of Diffuse Clouds.- Chemistry of Molecular Clouds I: Gas-Phase Processes.- Chemistry of Molecular Clouds II: Gas-Grain Processes.- Chemistry of Star-Forming Regions.- Chemistry of Protoplanetary Disks.- Chemical Evolution from Interstellar Clouds to Star- and Planet-Forming Regions.- Appendix 1: Rotational Spectra of Molecules.- Appendix 2: Observational Techniques.- Solution to Problems.