Homogeneous catalysis plays an important role both in the laboratory and in the industry. Successful applications in industry involve new polymerisation processes with complexes of zirconium and related metals, new carbonylation processes employing palladium and rhodium, ring opening polymerisations, and new enantioselective isomerisation catalysts as in the preparation of menthol. Also in the synthesis of organic compounds in the laboratory highly selective homogeneous catalysts represent an irreplaceable part of the toolbox of the synthetic chemist. Examples of such reactions are cross-coupling (Ni, Pd), nucleophilic substitution of allylpalladium complexes, Heck reactions (Pd), asymmetric epoxidation, Wacker type reactions (Pd), asymmetric hydrogenations (Rh, Ru), reactions of chromium complexes, enantioselective reactions with Lewis acids, reactions with the McMurry reagent, etc. There is hardly any multistep organic synthesis that does not involve one of these metal catalysed reactions. Most of these catalysts have been developed by empiricism. The metal catalysed processes consist of a series of elementary steps which often have been studied in isolation in organometallic chemistry. The knowl- edge of such elementary steps - effect ofligands, anions, coordination number, valence states - has greatly contributed to the development of improved cata- lysts for the reactions mentioned above. In addition to the empirical approach theoretical methods have given support and guidance to the development of improved processes. Often the key steps of a cycle escape from a direct ob- servation and then theoretical contributions are even more wanted.

Homogeneous catalysis plays an important role both in the laboratory and in the industry. Successful applications in industry involve new polymerisation processes with complexes of zirconium and related metals, new carbonylation processes employing palladium and rhodium, ring opening polymerisations, and new enantioselective isomerisation catalysts as in the preparation of menthol. Also in the synthesis of organic compounds in the laboratory highly selective homogeneous catalysts represent an irreplaceable part of the toolbox of the synthetic chemist. Examples of such reactions are cross-coupling (Ni, Pd), nucleophilic substitution of allylpalladium complexes, Heck reactions (Pd), asymmetric epoxidation, Wacker type reactions (Pd), asymmetric hydrogenations (Rh, Ru), reactions of chromium complexes, enantioselective reactions with Lewis acids, reactions with the McMurry reagent, etc. There is hardly any multistep organic synthesis that does not involve one of these metal catalysed reactions. Most of these catalysts have been developed by empiricism. The metal catalysed processes consist of a series of elementary steps which often have been studied in isolation in organometallic chemistry. The knowl- edge of such elementary steps - effect ofligands, anions, coordination number, valence states - has greatly contributed to the development of improved cata- lysts for the reactions mentioned above. In addition to the empirical approach theoretical methods have given support and guidance to the development of improved processes. Often the key steps of a cycle escape from a direct ob- servation and then theoretical contributions are even more wanted.

This volume constitutes the proceedings of the Nobel Laureate Symposium on Applied Quantum Chemistry held during the International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies, 16-21 December 1984, in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Symposium was held in honour of the five Nobel Laureates who have contributed so extensively to the development of Applied Quantum Chemistry. K. Fukui, G. Herzberg, R. Hoffmann, W.N. Lipscomb and R.S. Mulliken. Professors Fukui, Hoffmann and Lipscomb attended and presented plenary lectures to the Symposium. Their lectures and the other invited papers and invited poster presentations brought into focus the current state of Applied Quantum Chemistry and showed the importance of the interaction between quantum theory and experiment. We are indebted to the Subdivision of Theoretical Chemistry and the Division of Physical Chemistry of the American Chemical Society, the Division of Physical Chemistry of the Chemical Institute of Canada, Energy Conversion Devices, Inc., the IBM Corporation, and the Congress for their financial support which helped to make the Symposium possible. We would like to thank Dr. Philip Payne for making some of the local arrangements, and Mrs. Betty McIntosh for her assistance in arranging the Symposium and in the preparation of these proceedings for publication.

Computational molecular and materials modeling has emerged to deliver solid technological impacts in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and materials industries. It is not the all-predictive science fiction that discouraged early adopters in the 1980s. Rather, it is proving a valuable aid to designing and developing new products and processes. People create, not computers, and these tools give them qualitative relations and quantitative properties that they need to make creative decisions.
With detailed analysis and examples from around the world, Applying Molecular and Materials Modeling describes the science, applications, and infrastructures that have proven successful. Computational quantum chemistry, molecular simulations, informatics, desktop graphics, and high-performance computing all play important roles. At the same time, the best technology requires the right practitioners, the right organizational structures, and - most of all - a clearly understood blend of imagination and realism that propels technological advances. This book is itself a powerful tool to help scientists, engineers, and managers understand and take advantage of these advances.

Computational molecular and materials modeling has emerged to deliver solid technological impacts in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and materials industries. It is not the all-predictive science fiction that discouraged early adopters in the 1980s. Rather, it is proving a valuable aid to designing and developing new products and processes. People create, not computers, and these tools give them qualitative relations and quantitative properties that they need to make creative decisions.
With detailed analysis and examples from around the world, Applying Molecular and Materials Modeling describes the science, applications, and infrastructures that have proven successful. Computational quantum chemistry, molecular simulations, informatics, desktop graphics, and high-performance computing all play important roles. At the same time, the best technology requires the right practitioners, the right organizational structures, and - most of all - a clearly understood blend of imagination and realism that propels technological advances. This book is itself a powerful tool to help scientists, engineers, and managers understand and take advantage of these advances.