Abstract
Most reagents play a single role in chemical reactions of various types. Ceric ammonium nitrate is an orange solid and commercially available. It has been widely used in industry and academia during the past six decades. In this review, the role, efficiency, and advantages of ceric ammonium nitrate are discussed for its use with versatile roles in different chemical transformations. These reactions include carbon-carbon bond formation, oxidative carbon-carbon bond cleavage, nitration, and removal of protecting groups. The information will be of value to chemical synthesis of new compounds and materials.