The heart of chemistry is synthesis: finding new and ever more efficient ways of making molecules of all shapes and sizes and with every conceivable function. One of the most important tools in synthesis is efficient and selective catalysis.

Catalysts are substances which accelerate chemical reactions without themselves being destroyed in the process. They take part in chemical transformations by lowering the energy required to cause the reaction and are regenerated at the end of the catalytic cycle. The objectives of catalysis are to improve control of a reaction, maximising the conversion to the desired product and minimising or eliminating by-products, and lower the temperature and/or pressure of the process, so reducing energy consumption and minimising waste.

Catalysts are often solids made of metal or ceramics and may be porous, permitting the diffusion of gases and/or liquids through them. The reagents combine and transform at the interface between the gas or liquid and the surface of the catalyst - a heterogeneous process. Research in the petrochemicals area is devoted to the search for more efficient heterogenous catalysts for the cracking of petroleum oils and coal into lighter fragments and for the reassembling of these fragments into modified, useful chemicals such as polymers, fibres and lubricants. Solid acid catalysts made from aluminium or hydrogen fluoride help in the transformation of benzene and other hydrocarbons into polystyrene and high-octane automobile gasolines. Carbon monoxide and hydrogen, generated by partial combustion of natural gas, can be catalytically recombined to provide alternative sources of polymers, lubricants and fuels (see also Energy and processing).

Catalysts may also dissolve in liquids and can facilitate reactions with high efficiency and shape-selectivity - a homogeneous process. Using organometallic compounds (the so-called metallocene catalysts), simple hydrocarbons can be converted into polymers with very high optical clarity suitable for compact discs.

New research initiatives are focused on attempts to combine the high selectivity of homogeneous catalysis with the robustness of heterogeneous systems, by supporting molecular species on the surface of solids such as zeolites and silica. Such solids may have honeycomb-like structures, the pores of which can control the shape and size of the products formed in the catalytic transformation. New robust solids with hollow channels - mesoporous solids - the dimensions of which can be controlled in the molecular assembly process (see Supramolecular chemistry) will have many uses in heterogeneous catalysis, including vehicle exhaust cleaning (converting toxic oxides of nitrogen into benign gases) and conversion of hydrocarbons into regularly-shaped polymers suitable for use as fibres in the clothing industry.

The shape-selectivity which can be built into certain catalysts is uniquely useful in the synthesis of chiral compounds. A chiral molecule exists in two forms which are non-superimposable mirror images (enantiomers) of each other, like the right and left hand. Many chiral pharmaceuticals are active in only one form, and the molecular mirror image may even be toxic. It is obviously critical to administer only the active form to patients and therefore to have a chemical process which produces it with extremely high purity. Using classical methods of synthesis, both forms are obtained from the same reaction in equal amounts. Separating them is costly and, of course, half of the product is useless. However, by imitating enzymatic process which occur in life systems and produce only one enantiomer through biochemical transformations, chemists working on organometallic chemistry have been able to design highly selective catalysts for asymmetric synthesis. Such catalysts are used mainly for the preparation of chiral intermediates which are the building blocks for pharmaceutical substances. They may also be used for creating the aromatic chemicals essential for synthetic perfumes.

Materials may be of two types: structural or functional. The former are essentially substances designed to have specific structural purposes for construction. They may be constructed by exploiting molecular self-assembly in a way which nature has mastered (supramolecular chemistry) or by thermal methods using molecular precursors incorporating specific structure-forming templates. Functional materials have an in-built special effect with physical responses to external forces, such as light emission on the application of pressure, changing shape in response to an electric current or emitting sound on exposure to changes in magnetic fields. These materials are often 'soft': liquid crystal displays are an excellent example. They too can be made by molecular self-assembly processes.

Research on structural and functional materials is leading to many exciting things. These include ceramics as strong as and more wear-resistant than metal alloys, surface coatings which change colour with temperature as well as providing protection and the generation of a wide range of chemically-active particles - colloids - whose science and industrial applications are fascinating.

The self-organisation of molecules into superstructures with channels and cavities suitable for ion and whole molecule transport, or with controlled shapes and symmetries, gives rise to a wide range of structured materials. Within this important group of substances are dispersions, glasses and synthetic minerals characterised by a micro structural order between molecular dimensions (1 nm) and macroscopic grains (1 mm). Their physical state may be deliberately altered by controlled changes in their environment; for example, changing from a viscous fluid to a free-flowing liquid when passed through a magnetic field. Such 'smart' materials may have applications in power transmission (automotive clutches), micro-switches and damping in medical prosthetic devices.

Colloidal systems are stable dispersions of microscopic solid particles (ca. 1000 nm or 1 µm) in fluids. These are important in foods, paints, adhesives, cosmetic and medical preparations and in industrial processing. Environmental concerns mean that the production of colloidal dispersions is moving away from organic solvent-based dispersants towards predominantly water-based systems, so there is a need for a greater understanding of how colloidal particles may be stabilised in water and how aggregation can be prevented. This requires the development of a deeper understanding of adsorption phenomena of polymers on the surface of particles and the nature of inter-particle interactions.

New applications can be expected for colloidal systems on the nanometre scale. This is achieved by progressively reducing the size of the particles to a point at which quantum effects change their physical properties. Their stabilisation in solids, polymers or glasses creates new materials for application in electronics (single electron tunnelling), photovoltaics (artificial photosynthesis), sensor technology (ultrafast response), information processing (opto-electronics) and, especially, catalysis.

These are important in vehicle manufacture, building fabrication, medical prosthetics and garment production. The car of the future should be light, thereby saving energy and wear on tyres and road surfaces, but it must have a body strong enough to protect its passengers. It must not rust or corrode and it must be easy to maintain and repair or recycle.

New polymers, especially composites reinforced with oriented fibres, are likely to be very well-suited for these purposes. Their robustness and stability have been proved in spacecraft, aircraft and Grand Prix racing cars, where lightness and high strength are at a premium. The cost of such materials is still very high for general purpose applications, so less expensive materials or cheaper production technologies are needed.

Special polymers are now being tested for fire-proof cushions and panels in aircraft and cars, for soundproofing of engine motor casings and for clothing for firefighters. Improved and radically new structural materials with the accent on human safety will be needed for high speed trains, buses and trams and special vehicles for disabled people.

Fabric manufacturing depends both on man-made fibres derived from petrochemicals and produced by catalytic processes (nylons, acrylics, polyesters) and on cellulose, usually obtained from wood pulp, which is chemically modified (viscoses, cellulose acetates). The incorporation of stain-resistance, shape-retention and crease-resistance into clothes and furnishings, or of strong absorbence in articles for personal hygiene, requires careful choice of the polymer precursors, appropriate chemical modification during processing and, perhaps, subsequent treatment after the fibres have been woven.

High temperature resistance is essential for combustion engine components. Ceramic materials in place of steel and aluminium offer a challenging solution to the problems of wear, tear and renovation. The fabrication of ceramic replacements for steel and alloy engine components is technically possible, but further research and development are essential in order to bring forward practical solutions to contemporary and future engineering needs.

Molecular systems with very specific structures are at the heart of most functional materials. Liquid crystal displays in many electronic devices are an excellent example. Separation membranes, membrane reactors and organic electrically-conducting materials all depend on specific molecular superstructures. Ultra-thin layers will be essential for developing electronic devices at the molecular level. These may be made, for example, either by the construction of films using molecular self-assembly techniques similar to those found in nature, or by chemical vapour deposition where metal compounds can be transported as gases to a heated surface (glass or a silicon chip) and decomposed by heat to leave ultra-pure metal in layers of precisely controlled thickness.

Sophisticated chemistry will be vital for the creation of the next generation of greatly improved physical systems in information technology, data handling by optical techniques and the energy sector. Solar cells derived from metal-containing light-capture systems, high performance batteries made from lightweight materials, fibre-optic cables for high-speed communication by optoelectronics, single molecules devised and assembled to function as switches, gates, sensors or data stores are not just a futuristic dream, as contemporary model studies clearly demonstrate.

The production of these molecular materials for electronics will require new process engineering, combining automation with ultra-clean technologies. These technologies are essential to supply products with the exceptionally high purity and precision required.

At the interfaces of chemistry, biology and medical science there lies a group of very important yet incompletely solved problems in the field of medical prostheses: the construction of artificial blood vessels, heart valves, hip-joints and tooth implants (see Life processes) and the repair or replacement of organs when they fail. The complete solutions to these problems will almost certainly exploit the techniques of supramolecular chemistry derived from nature's own remedies. Analysis of body functions through bio-sensors, such as the detection of blood-cholesterol levels, must become an increasingly important part of self-diagnosis and health monitoring, facilitated by clever chemical and engineering design of the test-kits. The study of the bio-compatibility of medical prosthetics is extremely important and relevant to continued patient acceptability and health monitoring.

Nature also teaches us how to design 'smart' materials. These substances adapt their properties to their environment, an excellent example being wood. This familiar material absorbs great amounts of moisture in wet weather yet releases it again under dry conditions, generally without changing its shape or other important properties. A 'smart' material could also 'remember' its previous shape. Chemists are in a unique position to analyse the way in which these remarkable natural 'smart' materials work, and to make replicas and improved versions of the natural functions.

What kind of 'smart' materials might be desirable targets? The list is legion. Here are just a few examples:
materials which 'heal' like bones after fracturing
substances which self-repair scratches and adapt to pressure in the same way that skin does
substances whose self-repair processes may be triggered by electrical impulses
materials which contract like muscle or process signals like nerve tissues
materials whose colour changes depending on strain or ageing
electro-rheological fluids (liquids whose viscosity alters in an electric field) for use in vehicle brakes

These are challenges to the chemist, with implications for transport, energy and environment conservation, manufacturing processes and health.

Surfaces and surface technology have long interested chemists. Lacquers and varnishes protect against the weather, abrasion, scratches, dirt, corrosion, radiation and ageing. They also embellish, as do dyes and decorative structures. Techniques are now being developed to coat surfaces with layers of only molecular dimensions, but with enormous physical effects. Such effects could include antistatic, dirt-repellent, tacky, friction-creating or ultra-smooth characteristics.

New chemistry will have an enormous impact on lubrication, corrosion, surface wetting and compatibility of materials with bio-organisms. An extension of the application of the science of structured materials, the protection of surfaces against wear is a constant industrial demand. Clearly, the stable passivation of surfaces moving against each other is highly desirable for extending the life cycle of the material, and requires increasingly sophisticated chemistry, since the conditions of operation in some cases grow ever more extreme (high temperatures, pressures, corrosive atmospheres). Furthermore, the protection of paintings, statuary and buildings against pollution and corrosion is essential for the preservation of the continent's cultural heritage, and requires ever more sophisticated surface chemistry and analysis (see Mastering molecular matter).

Today, chemists know much about surfaces and their engineering. This is due to the development of very sophisticated analytical tools, many of which had their origin in Europe. These techniques afford, for the first time, a real picture of the arrangement of, and the interactions between, atoms in the surfaces of crystals and materials. At the same time theoretical tools of quantum chemistry, developed over the past 15 years and to which European laboratories made very important contributions, are able to show interactions between atoms, molecules and clusters in a quantitative manner and, furthermore, single out the basic processes responsible for the interactions.

Early problems of chemistry were concerned with ionic and covalent interactions which form linkages within molecules. Supramolecular chemistry is concerned with weak interactions between molecules (hydrogen-bonding, van der Waals forces, etc) which lead to assemblies of molecules in specific forms. Understanding the latter is now one of the main thrusts of modern chemistry and provides a direct link to biology and materials science.

The self-organisation of molecules in supramolecular assemblies is based on molecular recognition phenomena and is relevant to replication processes occurring in living systems. The understanding of how replication occurs within the process of forming supramolecular assemblies will throw light on the origins of life itself, and will have a profound influence not only on life sciences, but also on many areas of chemistry, not least in the assembly of materials which have both structure and function (see Materials which make and do things).

Parallel to the growth of activity in the area of supramolecular science is the drive towards nanotechnology. This parallel science often requires the construction of solid materials which have remarkable electronic, magnetic or optical properties.