* First book dealing with the synthesis and chemistry of the superbases guanidines, amidines and phosphazenes ; widely-used tools in preparative organic chemistry
* Hot topic area because of superbase’s chemical properties, potential as catalysts, and derivation from sustainable biomaterial sources
* Essential guide which includes details of physical properties, biological roles, synthetic applications, appearance and synthesis as natural products, and use in medicinal chemistry
* “Guanidines in Organic Synthesis” was one of the top 5 most downloaded papers of 2006 in the leading organic chemistry journal Synthesis – Ishikawa is the author of that review, and develops the subject area further in this book