Organocopper compounds are now an integral tool in every modern preparative laboratory, allowing important stages of synthesis to be carried out selectively and in an elegant fashion. Yet a certain amount of experience is needed if they are to be used effectively. Non-experts in the field often have difficulty in choosing the most suitable reagent and reaction conditions for a particular synthetic problem.

This handbook, edited by Norbert Krause, answers such questions, since it contains numerous useful tips and tricks on organocopper compounds gained from personal experience by an international team of authors. Organized according to reaction type and selectivity problem, it allows chemists working in both academia and industry laboratories to determine the optimal reagent for their needs. Chapters on structural and mechanistic aspects, as well as the use of organocopper compounds in target-oriented synthesis, complete this handbook which will stimulate a more effective use of these synthesis tools in everyday laboratory practice.