Book excerpt: Acetylenes are an important and valuable class of compounds in organic synthesis. This book expands on this historically well-established concept, while incorporating the many new developments that have widened the number of applications in this field. It remains the only handbook available that embodies all the important facets of acetylene chemistry. Following the first section on synthesis, the leading authors deal with advanced materials before turning to the properties and theory of acetylenes, while a final section looks at the biological aspects. With its range of experimental procedures, this book is a practical aid for both organic and organometallic chemists, as well as for materials scientists, biochemists, and industrial chemists.