Written for practicing organic chemists and students, this look at the emerging field of microwave-based chemistry for the organic laboratory offers a detailed discussion of fundamentals of performing microwave- enhanced reactions, with an emphasis on applications. It gives advice on the selection of conditions, solvents, and temperatures, explains the possibilities of modern instrumentation, and provides a tool for the practical application of the technique to enhance the range of synthesis and the productivity of synthetic chemists. Chapters cover solvents, chemical reactions, the presence and absence of solvent synthetic applications, safety considerations, and microwave hardware. Hayes is a scientist in the private sector.