This volume covers reagent literature published between July 1981 and December 1982. It provides references to new reagents introduced during this period, as well as recent references to reagents included in previous volumes, focusing on reagents that open new vistas in organic synthesis.

Mary Fieser received her formal education at Bryn Mawr and Radcliffe. Since then, she has been active with her husband in research and writing. Their numerous books include Organic Chemistry, which was translated into ten languages, and Steroids, of which four editions have been published. Mrs. Fieser has received the D.Sc. degree from Smith and Mount Holyoke, and the Garvin Medal of the American Chemical Society.