MECHEM has been written over the last nine years and is currently a 57,000 line program, but it is under continual development. Except for the graphical user interface, it is entirely written in Lisp, including its modules that implement algebraic and numerical constraints pertaining mainly to stoichiometry. The graphical interface, which is well advanced, is written in Tcl/Tk. Hence, the entire package will run on any platform that supports these two highly portable languages. Inquiries about the collaborative or non-collaborative use of MECHEM are welcome.

Frequently asked questions about MECHEM

The logs below illustrate the interactive use of MECHEM on a variety of reactions. The examples that involved expert input lead to more credible working mechanisms; the others lead to less credible results, but are illustrative of the methodology and its potential.

Note: An undergraduate (Brian White) has developed a nice graphical interface that makes the user interaction very convenient.

NO Reduction by CO

Partial Oxidation of Methane

CO Hydrogenation

Ammonia Synthesis

Ethane Hydrogenolysis

Ethylene Hydrogenation

Atmospheric Chemistry