Catalysis in chemistry and biochemistry

Under this title, the Royal Society of London organized a Discussion Meeting in June, 2004. The programme is appended and demonstrates its interdisciplinary nature, both in the presentations and the speakers. It also demonstrates the essential structure of the presentations viz the activation of covalent bonds in dioxygen, hydrocarbons, dihydrogen, carbon monoxide and dinitrogen. Additional emphasis recognized the significant progress that has been made over the past several years in the definition of active sites in heterogeneous, homogeneous and enzymatic catalysis; the description, experimentally and theoretically, of reaction intermediates and transition states in catalysis; and on the opportunities and achievements required for the development of environmentally benign catalysts, based on new science and technology. Bridging the three catalytic systems and their reaction mechanisms are dynamic models of active sites and a recognition of the increasing availability of structures and energetics of intermediates and transition states; the latter provide for the description of reaction pathways and for devising preferred pathways so as to enhance specificity through the promotion/inhibition of particular intermediates.