Book excerpt: Handbook of Reagents for Organic Synthesis Reagents, Auxiliaries and Catalysts for C-C Bond Formation Robert M. Coates and Scott E. Denmark The University of Illinois, Urbana, USA Recognising the critical need for bringing a handy reference work that deals with the most popular reagents in synthesis to the laboratory of practising organic chemists, the Editors, of the acclaimed Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis (EROS) have selected the most important and useful reagents employed in contemporary organic synthesis. The Handbook of Reagents for Organic Synthesis; Reagents Auxiliaries and Catalysts for C-C Bond Formation, provides practical and concise information on a diverse group of reagents. To familiarise the user with the spectrum of reagents contained within this volume, the editors have subdivided more than 200 entries into 22 classes based on their chemical structures and function. The articles, arranged alphabetically, contain all of the information found in EROS as well as expanded reagents listings. In addition, new listings of recently published review articles and monographs are included, as well as relevant Organic Syntheses procedures that deal with either the preparations or reactions of the featured reagents. This comprehensive and well referenced handbook will prove of great value to all practitioners in the field of organic chemistry.