ABOUT ORCS
In the early 1960s, a group of scientists created a forum for the presentation and discussion of the use of catalysis as applied to organic synthesis. The first four conferences on “Catalytic Hydrogenation and Other Analogous Pressure Reactions” were held under the auspices of the New York Academy of Sciences. The Organic Reactions Catalysis Society (ORCS) was formally established at the 5th conference held in Boston in 1975. At the founding, the Executive Committee decreed that a biennial conference would be held in the spring of even numbered years. The 6th conference was then placed under the umbrella of the North American Catalysis Society. Since then, successful conferences have been held throughout the continental USA. The 22nd conference will be held in Richmond, VA, at The Jefferson Hotel, March 30-April 3, 2008.
The scope of the topics covered in these meetings includes selective homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis for the synthesis of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals, solid acid catalysis, and catalysis for selective oxidation, hydrogenation, hydrogenolysis, amination. Additional topics include chiral catalysis and environmentally friendly catalysis. The proceedings of the conferences are considered research publications; and, since 1980, they have been published in a hard cover book in the Chemical Industries Series by Taylor & Francis (formerly Marcel Dekker).
At the biennial conference, the Paul Rylander award, established by ORCS in 1988, and the Murray Raney award, established by ORCS in 1992 and sponsored by Davison Grace, are presented to scientists who have made outstanding contributions in the field of catalysis as it applies to organic synthesis.
A two year membership in the Society is conferred to all attendees of the conference as well as on those who apply and pay the membership fee and is primarily composed of R&D scientists from the specialty, pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries as well as academicians involved in catalysis and vendors concerned with the many aspects of applied catalysis.