Volume 79 in the venerable Organic Reactions series contains two chapters. The first addresses cross-coupling reactions of organotrifluoroborate salts, useful in the development of natural products, materials, and pharmacologically active substances. It is an excellent companion to two previous chapters on tin-based and silicon-based cross-couplings contained in Volumes 50 and 75, respectively. The second chapter addresses asymmetric transformations by deprotonation using chiral lithium amides, useful in target-oriented synthesis, and representing one of the most powerful workhorse reactions in organic synthesis.
