A NATO Advanced Research Workshop on the "Mechanisms of Reactions of
Organometallic Compounds with Surfaces" was held in St. Andrews,
Scotland in June 1988. Many of the leading international researchers in
this area were present at the workshop and all made oral presentations
of their results. In addition, significant amounts of time were set
aside for Round Table discussions, in which smaller groups considered
the current status of mechanistic knowledge, identified areas of dispute
or disagreement, and proposed experiments that need to be carried out to
resolve such disputes so as to advance our understanding of this
important research area. All the papers presented at the workshop are
collected in this volume, together with summaries of the conclusions
reached at the Round Table discussions. The workshop could not have
taken place without financial support from NATO, and donations were also
received from Associated Octel, Ltd., STC Ltd., and Epichem Ltd., for
which the organisers are very grateful. The organisation of the meeting
was greatly assisted by Mrs G. MacArthur and Mr L.R. Dunley of the
Chemistry Department, St. Andrews University.