Preface fluorine chemistry in Italy

The aim of this special issue Fluorine Chemistry in Italy is to give a cross-section of the current research activity of fluorine chemists in Italy. Authors have been asked to present in their papers some of their more recent results and to frame them within the perspective of their research activity of the last years. General historical aspects of fluorine chemistry in Italy are outlined by Prof. G. Gambaretto in the introduction that follows this Editorial. Contributors to this special issue have been sorted according to the geographical location of the laboratory where the research has been performed. This is quite a novel criterion for the selection of papers for a special issue of a scientific journal. The result is a collection of papers that cover quite different topics, that would otherwise be disseminated in quite different journals, but that are all dealing with fluorine chemistry and all come from Italian research groups. The chemistry of fluorine and its derivatives currently impacts on a particularly wide diversity of scientific and technological areas. All sub-areas in fluorine chemistry share some common concepts and methods, but are also characterised by non-minor specificities. As a result, fluorine chemists are used to publishing their research in various journals, depending on the aspects of their activity that they want to emphasise. The aim of this special issue moves from the idea that all fluorine chemistry sub-areas are different, and usefully presents the areas under the common ‘fluorine’ theme. By adopting a geographical sorting criterion for contributors’ identification, it has been possible to convey to the Journal of Fluorine Chemistry readers, namely themes, more often dispersed over many different journals. In our opinion, this may prompt a cross-fertilisation process whose advantages definitively overwhelm the possible disadvantages resulting from the papers heterogeneity. In his, A brief history of the Journal of Fluorine Chemistry, Prof. Tatlow stated, “the journal … has been central to the continuing development of the subject” [1]. With this issue we are trying to keep up with this mission. The Editors often conclude their presentation of the issue giving a brief overview of the content. We skip such a presentation and refer the readers to the Graphical Abstracts section where the papers are already summarized. Instead, we want to conclude with special thanks to all the authors as their enthusiasm and commitment has made this initiative possible.