About ISOM

About the ISOM

The International Symposium on Olefin Metathesis and Related Chemistry (ISOM) is an international symposium held every two years that brings together scientists from around the world to discuss the latest advances in olefin metathesis and related chemistry. This meeting typically attracts around 100-200 academic participants. Representatives from the chemical and pharmaceutical industries also actively participate in events that cover all aspects of olefin metathesis and related chemistry, from fundamental research to industrial applications. The symposium focuses on homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysts based on early and late transition metals.

Distinguished speakers are invited to contribute to the symposium's high scientific level and unveil the latest advances in olefin metathesis and related chemistry. The event is also intended for early-career professionals, postdoctoral fellows, and Ph.D. students, who appreciate the opportunity to present their research as oral presentations or posters and share their experiences with fellow researchers. Because the ISOM is run in a single-session format with ample time allotted for discussion after each talk, it is a unique opportunity to foster contacts with academic and industrial colleagues and to discuss the various facets of olefin metathesis in a stimulating yet relaxed atmosphere.

The idea of bringing together chemists and engineers to debate a poorly understood reaction came from Hartwig Höcker, who organized the first ISOM as a two-day gathering at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, in January 1976. Since then, this international meeting has remained the most important forum for the olefin metathesis community worldwide. It has become an eagerly anticipated regular event that takes place every two years, with only a brief hiatus in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Editions of ISOM