Book excerpt: Hellwinkel gives a short and general introduction to the systematic nomenclature of organic compounds. On the basis of carefully selected examples it offers simple and concise guidelines for the generation of systematic compound names as codified by the IUPAC rules. Besides the most common compound classes important special areas such as cyclophanes, carbohydrates, organometallic and isotopically modified compounds and stereochemical specifications are dealt with. In cases where there is not yet a finalised set of IUPAC rules, possibilities for logical and desirable extensions of existing rules are outlined. Likewise, deviations from Chemical Abstracts and Beilstein index names are noted, if significant. The German version (4th edition) is meanwhile a longseller.