Book excerpt: This is the first handbook to cover in detail all aspects of this fascinating field of chemistry. In this handy two-volume set, readers will instantly find the information they need, clearly structured according to the individual metals in the main groups, hitherto only accessible after much time-consuming research. The result is in indispensable aid for everyday work in the lab. Alongside all the classical organic reactions, this book focuses on the modern variations as well as novel, current reactions in organic synthesis that are closely linked to main group elements - both stoechiometric and catalytic. With this work the two prizewinning editors have succeeded in producing a comprehensive compendium of the main group metals as reagents for organic reactions. In short, this is a must for every organic chemist, whether as an efficient introduction to current research, for retaining an overview or for looking up detailed information.