The ability to synthesize molecules is a central requirement to the advancement of scientific discovery. Our department has a long tradition of excellence in synthesis, ranging from the far-reaching implications of Khorana's work on nucleic acids, Bartlett's preparation of the first noble gas compound, Kutney's pioneering investigations in the field of steroids, and the numerous contributions to synthetic organic methodology by Piers and Weiler. Today, we continue to devise and refine diverse aspects of synthetic technology, as dictated by emerging needs in the domains of materials and polymer science, organometallic chemistry, nanotechnology, catalysis, bioactive natural products, drug research, and chemical biology. Such advances in the field of synthesis have enabled the development of many exciting new products, including drugs and drug candidates, advanced materials, diagnostic tools, etc.