HighlightsThis report is intended to offer an illustrative overview of the current state of free-radical reactions in organic synthesis. The author has emphasised reactions that are of interest to the practising synthetic chemist. The layout of the review is in keeping with the style of previous reviews by the author.1,2The highlights this year include the successful addition of nucleophilic radicals to carboxylic acid derivatives,3–7the use of organic chiral additives to induce enantioselectivity8–11and, most significantly, the development of transition metal catalysts for the generation of alkyl radicals from simple halides.12–19The latter research is likely to have a dramatic impact on radical chemistry in coming years.