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Everything you always wanted to know about organic electrochemistry but were too afraid to ask is in this book. If you have not found what you are looking for, it is almost certain that you have not looked properly and that you should try again. This is now the fifth edition of Organic Electrochemistry in forty odd years and it maintains the same high standard as its predecessors. The Organic Electrochemistry series shows similarities with the Star Wars saga, which also dates back from the 1970s onwards. As with the Hollywood franchise, the present edition was carefully nurtured by a blend of old timers and newcomers of editors and authors. The result is a fifth edition which bears many resemblances to its predecessors but at the same time a significant number of changes and updates have been introduced to the readership. This approach will attract new readers and be a comfort to scientists accustomed to the standard set by the previous editions.

Many aspects of organic electrochemistry are detailed in 44 chapters, organised in 8 sections (Fundamentals and Methods; General preparative aspects; Electron transfers and concerted processes; Organic electrochemical reaction types; Electrochemical conversions of organic compounds; Stereochemical and biological aspects; Surface confined aspects; Special applications).

Twenty-five out of the 44 chapters are either new additions or entirely rewritten by new authors, conferring novelty to the present volume. A tremendous work of edition has been achieved to maintain cohesion and unity throughout the pages of this thick volume. It is rightly pointed out in the preface that electrochemistry emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as an industrial synthetic method, before being used as a powerful tool for physical chemistry. The fundamentals of electrochemistry are presented from the point of view of an organic chemist, offering a different perspective from most electrochemistry textbooks, which are generally introducing the concepts from an analytical point of view. Although mathematical developments cannot be totally avoided in electrochemistry, they have been kept to a minimum to ensure a soft introduction to the topic. Chapters on practical aspects (e.g., electrolysis cell design, electrode materials, solvents, electrolytes, etc.) present sufficient details to kick-start experiments in the lab. These basics occupy one quarter of the book and the remaining three quarters are devoted to organic transformations aided by electrochemistry.

Organic Electrochemistry, Fifth edition will prove to be a vital aid for anyone wishing to undertake an Odyssey through the field of organic electrochemistry. May the Force be with you!