While total synthesis reached extraordinary levels of sophistication in the last century the development of practical and efficient methodologies is still in its infancy. The goal of achieving chemical reactions that are economical safe environmentally benign resource- and energy-saving will demand the highest level of scientific creativity insight and understanding in a combined effort by academic and industrial chemists. Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis is designed to stimulate and advance that process by focusing on the development and application of efficient synthetic methodologies and strategies in organic bioorganic pharmaceutical natural product macromolecular and materials chemistry. The targets of synthetic studies can range from natural products and pharmaceuticals to macromolecules and organic materials. While catalytic methods based on metal complexes or enzymes play an ever increasing role in achieving synthetic efficiency all areas of interest to the practical synthetic chemist fall within the purview of Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis including synthesis design reaction techniques separation science and process development. Contributions from industrial and governmental laboratories are highly encouraged. It is the goal of the journal to help initiate a new era of chemical science based on the efforts of synthetic chemists and on interdisciplinary collaboration so that chemistry will make an even greater contribution to the quality of life than it does now. Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis succeeds the "Journal für praktische Chemie" (founded 1828). Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis publishes the following types of articles: Commentaries Reviews Updates Full Papers Communications Reagents & Catalysts Book Reviews Readers Organic organometallic bioorganic pharmaceutical materials and macromolecular chemists in academia and industry engaged in synthesis and in process research and development. Secondary groups: inorganic chemists engaged in catalyst research; chemical engineers and biotechnologists in process research and development.