From the reviews: Ionic liquids from the Topics in current chemistry series is a valuable resource for the newcomer, as the book primarily focuses on the fundamentals. Appropriately, the book begins by discussing approaches for the synthesis, purification and characterisation of ionic liquids. The majority of the chapters survey topics that will allow the reader to obtain a greater understanding of ionic liquids and their properties. The book covers essential areas such as thermophysical properties, spectroscopy, the strength of ionic liquid-solute interactions (polarity) and the influence of ionic liquids on chemical reactions. There are also reviews on theoretical investigations that attempt to understand and predict the physicochemical properties of ionic liquids. Additionally, there are chapters that discuss areas of growing importance, such as the use ionic liquids for heavy elements, processing biomass and the synthesis and application of functionalised ionic liquids (so called 'task specific ionic liquids'). The book is an excellent text for those who are new to the field and it would also serve as a useful reference for more experienced practitioners.