A much-needed overview reflecting the developments over the past five years, this is the most comprehensive handbook on organocatalysis. As such, all relevant catalyst systems are discussed in detail, as well as key strategies, reaction types, and important applications in total synthesis. The first two volumes cover catalyst structures and fundamental activation types. These chapters allow readers to familiarize themselves with the relatively complex interactions that make organocatalytic reactions selective; to gain an insight into the most efficient catalyst types; and to understand the importance of physical parameters that influence reactivity and selectivity. Volume three is structured around reaction types, i.e. nucleophile additions to C=X and C=C bonds; Friedel-Crafts reactions, organocatalytic sigmatropic reactions, regioselective reactions and desymmetrization strategies, ring-forming reactions, multicomponent (domino) reactions, multicatalyst systems and the application of organocatalytic reactions in multistep synthesis are discussed. An appendix recollecting catalyst structures with the adequate cross-references to the corresponding chapters rounds off the book.
With its contributions written by pioneers of the organocatalysis field, this book provides non-specialists with an introduction to the topic as well as serving as a valuable source for researchers in academia and industry searching for an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of this promising area of synthetic organic chemistry.

Peter I. Dalko studied chemistry at the Budapest Technical University (Hungary) and graduated from Paris XI University (France) under the supervision of Stephan D. Géro. After undertaking postdoctoral research with Sir Derek H. Barton at Texas A&M University (USA) and Yoshito Kishi at Harvard University he joined Janine Cossy's research group at the ESPCI in Paris. He is now a Research Director at the French Scientific Research Council (CNRS) at the Medical Faculty of Paris Descartes University. His research is focused on total synthesis of structurally complex natural products, development of organocatalytic reactions for synthesis and developing micro- and nanoscale technologies for biomedical researches.