The two chapters in Volume 84 describe transition metal catalyzed processes that form carbon-carbon bonds and carbon-oxygen bonds in very interesting and practical ways. The first chapter authored by Christina Moberg describes an important subset of one of the earliest and most important enantioselective carbon-carbon bond forming reactions that employ transition metal complexes, namely molybdenum-catalyzed, asymmetric allylic alkylations. The second chapter authored by Brian W. Michel, Laura D. Steffens, and Matthew S. Sigman deals with one of the oldest examples of transition metal catalyzed oxidation, known as the Wacker process.

Scott E. Denmark received his undergraduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1975 and his graduate degree (D.Sc. Tech.) from the ETH-Zürich in 1980. He joined the faculty at Illinois in the same year. His research interests are in structural, synthetic and mechanistic organic chemistry.