Finding all possiblea priori mechanisms for a given type of overall reaction

The method, presented for finding all thea priori possible mechanisms of a certain number of steps for a given type of overall reaction, is applied to finding the possible two-step mechanisms for: overall reactions of the type of molecular rearrangements, and of the type of molecular associations. Many examples from organic, physical or biochemistry are given such as mutarotation of glucose, Henry-Michaelis-Menten enzyme mechanism, rearrangements of halogenoamines, hydration of epoxides, etc. The approach provides a systematics for otherwise diverse mechanisms. Alexander von Humboldt Senior Scientist Awardee, West Germany. Predoctoral Research Assistant, Yale University 1973–1974. Then at the Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Buffalo, New York 14203.