The chemistry of superacids has developed in the last two decades into a field of growing interest and importance. Now available in a new expanded second edition, this definitive work on superacids offers a comprehensive review of superacids and discusses the development of new superacid systems and applications of superacids in the promotion of unusual reactions. Covering Bronsted and Leurs superacids, solid superacids, carbocations, heterocations, and catalyzed reactions, this timely volume is invaluable to professionals, faculty, and graduate students in organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry.

George A. Olah, PhD, is the 1994 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry. Dr. Olah is the Director of the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute and Distinguished Loker Chair Professor at the University of Southern California. He is a pioneer in the superacid field and has published some 1,400 papers, authored or coauthored more than twenty books and monographs, and been granted more than 100 patents.

G. K. Surya Prakash, PhD, is the George A. and Judith A. Olah Nobel Laureate Chair Professor and Scientific Co-Director of the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute at the University of Southern California. Dr. Prakash has extensively worked in the area of superacids and has published more than 580 papers, coauthored eight books, and been granted more than two dozen patents.

ÁRpÁD MolnÁR, DSc, is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Szeged, Hungary. He is a Senior Fellow at the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute and is a coauthor of two books including the highly acclaimed Hydrocarbon Chemistry with G. A. Olah. He has published some 220 papers and holds seven patents in the area of heterogeneous catalysis and mechanistic organic chemistry.

Jean Sommer, PhD, is an Emeritus Professor of Chemistry at the University of Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute and has published close to 140 papers in hydrocarbon activation chemistry involving solid and liquid superacids.

Chapter 1: General Aspects.1.1. Defining Acidity.1.2. Definition of Superacids.1.3. Types of Superacids.1.4. Experimental Techniques for Acidity Measurements (Protic Acids).Chapter 2: Superacid Systems.2.1. Primary Superacids.2.2. Binary Superacids.2.3. Ternary Superacids.2.4. Solid Superacids.Chapter 3: Carbocations in Superacids.3.1. Introduction.3.2. Methods of Generating Carbocations in Superacids.3.3. Methods and Techniques in the Study of Carbocations.3.4. Trivalent Carbocations.3.5. Equilibrating (Degenerate) and Higher (Five or Six) Coordinate (Nonclassical) Carbocations.Chapter 4: Heterocations in Superacids.4.1. Introduction.4.2. Onium Ions.4.3. Enium Ions.4.4. Homo- And Heteropolyatomic Cations.4.5. Cations of Group 6-12 Elements.Chapter 5: Superacid Catalyzed Reactions.5.1. Conversion of Saturated Hydrocarbons.5.2. Alkylation of Aromatic Hydrocarbons.5.3. Acylation of Aromatics.5.4. Carboxylation.5.5. Formylation.5.6. Thio- and Dithiocarboxylation.5.7. Sulfonation and Sulfonylation.5.8. Nitration.5.9. Nitrosonium Ion (No+)-Induced Reactions.5.10. Halogenation.5.11. Amination.5.12. Oxyfunctionalization.5.13. Superacids in Protection Group Chemistry.5.14. Superacids in Heterocyclic Chemistry.5.15. Dehydration.5.16. Superacids in Carbohydrate Chemistry.5.17. Rearrangements and Cyclizations.5.18. Ionic Hydrogenation.5.19. Esterification and Ester Cleavage.5.20. Additions.