"Chemistry of Marine Natural Products " (Academic Press, 1973), the
progenitor of the present volume, covered the early literature of a budding
research area through Decembe r 1971. Although barely six years have
elapsed since then, the field of marine natural products has flowered
beyond expectation. Research has grown geometrically; it has spread
geographically; and it has begun to explore in earnest some fascinating
phenomena at the interface between biology and chemistry. Since March
1973, when
4'Chemistry of Marine Natural Products " was published, it has
become increasingly apparent to me that a review of the entire field by one
person was no longer feasible; hence the present effort in which I have
asked some of my colleagues to share the task of providing critical
reviews and new perspectives for the marine research community. I am
grateful for the enthusiastic and prompt response by the contributors to
this as well as to subsequent volumes.