The series Topics in Current Chemistry Collections presents critical reviews from the journal Topics in Current Chemistry organized in topical volumes. The scope of coverage is all areas of chemical science including the interfaces with related disciplines such as biology, medicine and materials science. The goal of each thematic volume is to give the non-specialist reader, whether in academia or industry, a comprehensive insight into an area where new research is emerging which is of interest to a larger scientific audience. Each review within the volume critically surveys one aspect of that topic and places it within the context of the volume as a whole. The most significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years are presented using selected examples to illustrate the principles discussed. The coverage is not intended to be an exhaustive summary of the field or include large quantities of data, but should rather be conceptual, concentrating on the methodological thinking that will allow the non-specialist reader to understand the information presented. Contributions also offer an outlook on potential future developments in the field.

Xuefeng Jiang received his PhD in 2008 from Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, under the supervision of Prof. Shengming Ma. He then carried out the postdoctoral research at The Scripps Research Institute, working with Prof. K. C. Nicolaou. He is now a "Shanghai Eastern" Professor & "ECNU Talent" Professor at East China Normal University, China. He has received many awards, including Asian Core Program Lectureship Award, Top-notch Young Talents of Organization Department, China, Shanghai Rising Star etc. His current research interests focus on target- and methodology-oriented synthesis.