50th anniversary of the working party kinetics and reaction mechanisms

January 12,  2009, DECHEMA-Haus, Frankfurt am Main/Germany

Reaction mechanisms form the core of research and teaching of organic chemistry. Whereas in the early days most mechanistic information came from trapping experiments and isotopic labeling, nowadays advanced experimental and theoretical methods play a key role in mechanistic research. Multidimensional NMR, new mass spectrometric techniques, femtosecond spectroscopy, low-temperature and other advanced techniques led to a detailed insight in mechanisms and changed our picture of chemical transformation. Due to the advances in computer technology and the development of highly efficient algorithms, quantum chemistry plays a key role for the interpretation of spectroscopic data and elucidation of reaction pathways.

As a link between academic research and industrial applications in the field of physical organic chemistry the “Arbeitsausschuss Kinetik und Reaktionsmechanismen” was founded 50 years ago by DECHEMA with Prof. Rolf Huisgen as initiator and first chairman. The conference celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the “Arbeitsausschuss” by presenting new developments in this field.

We are looking forward to welcoming you in Frankfurt am Main.

Prof. W. Sander
Chairman of the working party