A Personal History of the International Conferences on Solution Chemistry
Bernard Gill*
(Former Chairman of the International Steering Committee of the ICSC)
Leeds, England, 2005
International Conferences on Solution Chemistry have been held in various guises since 1967.
The original idea of a meeting to discuss the widely diverse subject areas encompassed by solution chemistry was floated about 1965/6 by Professors Ron Gillespie (McMaster University, Ontario, Canada), Cliff Addison (Nottingham University, England), Viktor Gutmann (Technische Hochschule, Vienna, Austria), and Alex Popov (Michigan State University, USA). These founding fathers decided to arrange a Summer School on Non-Aqueous Solutions but firstly funding assistance had to be obtained. Eventually excellent support for the whole venture came from the scientific branch of NATO. So it was that 109 participants from about 20 different nations gathered for a two-week course of lectures in the pleasant semi-rural campus of McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario in late May 1967.
That NATO Summer School on Non-Aqueous Solutions ended with a two and a half day symposium where we presented our research results in the usual conference-type oral papers of about 25 minutes duration. I remember that symposium very well, particularly the fierce arguments between Viktor Gutmann and Russell Drago, each arguing the case for his own interpretation of donicity and each doing his utmost to demolish the other’s case. I think it was just about the most heated argument I have ever seen at an international chemistry conference. There is little doubt that that productive symposium set the scene for another international gathering of research minds on non-aqueous solution chemistry. Although not named as such in 1967 we have always counted this Symposium at McMaster University as the first of the series that became known as ICNAS, the International Conferences on Non-Aqueous Solutions.
Invitations went out for 2ICNAS (1970) in Manchester, England where 149 participants gathered. The organising host was Ken Bagnall, at Manchester University who had had a distinguished career at Harwell where his work on transuranic chemistry had involved much non-aqueous solution research. I firmly believe though that the main stimulus behind the 2ICNAS came from Cliff Addison at Nottingham University, that doyen of the non-aqueous solution world.
There was no turning back after 2ICNAS. Continuation was secure with a nucleus of people to organise further ICNAS meetings: a family group of solution chemists. At Manchester it was decided to hold 3ICNAS and 4ICNAS at the Kellogg Center at Michigan State University, USA and the Technische Hochschule in Vienna, respectively, under the able local chairmanships of Alex Popov and Viktor Gutmann. I organised 5ICNAS (1976) at Leeds, England with Don Irish and Josef Barthel chairing 6ICNAS and 7ICNAS at Waterloo, Canada, and Regensburg, Germany, respectively. The local organising chairs of the previous ICNAS Meetings then essentially became a semi-formal International Steering Committee. It was agreed that future host chairs would automatically become members of the steering group for the period including the Conference immediately preceding his/her own Meeting and the two Conferences following his/her Meeting.
Not long after the establishment of ICNAS, a group of like-minded people formed another group also concerning itself with solution chemistry: the International Society for the Study of Solute-Solute-Solvent Interactions. I possess a letter from Pierre Huyskens in which he states that the idea was first floated by Professor G. Carpéni who was on a visit to Leuven in 1971. This Society first met in September 1972 in Marseille under Professor Carpéni’s chairmanship. Its success led to another Meeting in 1974, in the dual locations of Leuven and Wépion in Belgium; unfortunately Pierre Huyskens, was unable to attend because of illness. The Society Meetings were concerned principally with physical and molecular interactions in solution and almost all the reported work concerned aqueous chemistry, and this focus remained over the next five Meetings. After the third Meeting in 1976 in Karpacz, Poland (organised jointly by Professors L. Sobczyk and B. Jezowska-Trzebiatowska) it was realised that two series of meetings on solution chemistry were running concurrently; one concerned mainly with the aqueous phase, and ICNAS entirely concerned with non-aqueous solutions. The fourth Meeting of the former in 1978 in Vienna, organised by Viktor Gutmann and Peter Schuster, was entitled, the 4th International Symposium on Solute-Solvent-Solute Interactions (IS4I).
Although both IS4I and ICNAS were meeting biennially, a scheduling clash arose. Thus, 7ICNAS and 5IS4I were independently planned for 1980, in Regensburg and Florence respectively. Participants complained that they had to make a choice of which conference they attended, thereby reducing the potential number of participants at both.
Amicable resolution came about in 1980 at a lunch-time meeting at 7ICNAS in Regensburg, when one new International Steering Committee was agreed upon to deal with both series of meetings; nearly all leading participants of ICNAS and IS4I were present. 8ICNAS (1982) was to proceed as planned at Nantes, France, under Martial Chabanel’s leadership and, with Hitoshi Ohtaki’s agreement, 6IS4I was to take place at Minoo, Osaka, Japan in 1983. Thereafter ICNAS and IS4I could meet in alternate years thereby providing an improved opportunity for participants to attend both series.
So the International Steering Committee for both ICNAS and IS4I was formalised. It was agreed that there would be two chairmen/convenors: one for each series; I took the chair for ICNAS with Pierre Huyskens for IS4I. With these problems now apparently settled, further venues were arranged: 9ICNAS (1984) Pittsburgh, USA (Bob Kay and Johann Coetzee), 7IS4I (1985) Reading, England (Alan Pethybridge), and 10ICNAS (1986) Leuven, Belgium (Pierre Huyskens).
It was not long however before the blatantly obvious was realised. The International Steering Committee for ICNAS and IS4I, both IUPAC sponsored (ICNAS since 1970 and IS4I since 1978), consisted of essentially the same people and combination into one all-embracing International Conference on Solution Chemistry, ICSC was necessary. Unanimous agreement on this amalgamation came in 1985 at the IS4I Steering Committee in Reading when I was asked to remain as Chairman of the new group, the International Steering Committee of the ICSC. Following the amalgamation agreement, the International Steering Committee was awarded Associated Organisation status in IUPAC in 1987 in readiness for its first meeting in 1988 at Lund.
It was agreed that 10ICNAS (1986) organised by Pierre Huyskens at Leuven would proceed as planned, as would 8IS4I in 1987 at Regensburg, Germany, arranged by Josef Barthel (though this could now also be regarded as 18ICSC). These two conferences were to be followed in1988 by the new combined 19ICSC at Lund, Sweden (chaired locally by Sten Arhland, assisted by Ingmar Persson). Thereafter meetings were held annually: 20ICSC, Jerusalem, Israel (1989); 21ICSC, Ottawa, Canada (1990) and 22ICSC, Linz, Austria (1991). After 1991 it was decided that they should become biennial: 23ICSC, Leicester, England (1993); 24ICSC, Lisbon, Portugal (1995); 25ICSC, Vichy, France (1997); 26ICSC, Fukuoka, Japan (1999); 27ICSC, Vaals, Netherlands (2001); 28ICSC, Debrecen, Hungary (2003) and 29ICSC, Portorož, Slovenia (2005).
Since their inception in 1967 enthusiasm for ICNAS, IS4I and ICSC meetings has never waned. With great pleasure I can point to considerable growth and interest through the years over more and more widely diverse fields embraced within solution chemistry. Every Conference brings into it papers and interests in completely new areas of work in the solution phase. Among the Conference participants themselves that family gathering atmosphere has blossomed and grown over about 36 years. Meeting by meeting one anticipates enjoying the company of the old friends from all parts of the world, not only to catch up with one another’s advances in science but also to spend time interacting socially. The social aspect of our meetings has always been of utmost importance in their organisation. In this respect I can relate the remarks of David, an industrial chemical engineer friend of mine who I invited to join one of the optional social events of the Reading Conference in 1985. I had arranged an 8-mile walk along the Ridgeway, a long distance footpath passing close by several well-known landmarks, including the famous White Horse on the Downs. David still remarks on how astonished he felt to be walking through that beautiful part of England with 32 people, who he established hailed from 20 different countries - and the truly friendly happy family atmosphere which emanated from them. Although all these folks shared common interest in solution chemistry they were clearly enjoying together the fellowship and family feeling on a lovely outing. There lies the real spirit of ICSC !
Places, Dates, and Organisers of ICSC Meetings
1.ICNAS 1967 Hamilton, Canada; Ron. Gillespie, Cliff Addison (Nottingham), Viktor Gutaman (Vienna)
2.ICNAS 1970 Manchester, England; Ken Bagnall and Cliff Addison (Nottingham)
3.ICNAS 1972 MSU, Michigan, USA; Alex Popov
1.IS4I 1972 Marseilles, France; G. Carpéni
4.ICNAS 1974 Vienna, Austria; Viktor Gutmann
2.IS4I 1974 Leuven/Wépion, Belgium; Pierre Huyskens
5.ICNAS 1976 Leeds, England; Bernard Gill
3.IS4I 1976 Karpacz, Poland; L. Sobczyk and B. Jezowska-Trzebiatowska(Wrocław)
6.ICNAS 1978 Waterloo, Canada; Don Irish
4.IS4I 1978 Vienna, Austria; Viktor Gutmann and B. Schuster
7.ICNAS 1980 Regensburg, Germany; Josef Barthel
5.IS4I 1980 Florence, Italy; Ivano Bertini and Luigi Lunazzi (Bologna)
8.ICNAS 1982 Nantes, France; Martial Chabanel
6.IS4I 1983 Minoo, Osaka, Japan; Hitoshi Ohtaki and K. Tanaka
9.ICNAS 1984 Pittsburgh, USA; Johann Coetzee and Bob Kay
7.IS4I 1985 Reading, England; Alan Pethybridge
10.ICNAS 1986 Leuven, Belgium; Pierre Huyskens
8.IS4I 1987 Regensburg, Germany; Josef Barthel
19.ICSC 1988 Lund, Sweden; Sten Arhland and Ingmar Persson
20.ICSC 1989 Jerusalem, Israel; Yizhak Marcus
21.ICSC 1990 Ottawa, Canada; Christian Detellier
22.ICSC 1991 Linz, Austria; Gerhard Gritzner
23.ICSC 1993 Leicester, England; Mike Blandamer
24.ICSC 1995 Lisbon, Portugal; César Viana
25.ICSC 1997 Vichy, France; Pierre Turq and Nicole Desrosiers
26.ICSC 1999 Fukuoka, Japan; Shin-Ichi Ishiguro and Hitoshi Ohtaki
27.ICSC 2001 Vaals, Netherlands; Manfred Zeidler (Aachen)
28.ICSC 2003 Debrecen, Hungary; Gabor Palinkas and Imre Toth
29.ICSC 2005 Portorož, Slovenia; Vojko Vlachy and Marija Bešter Rogač
* Prof Gill’s original text has been lightly edited by Glenn Hefter, Murdoch University, November, 2006
