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Heterogeneous catalysis has developed over the past two centuries as a technology driven by the needs of society, and is part of Nobel Prize-winning science. This book describes the spectacular increase in molecular understanding of heterogenous catalytic reactions in important industrial processes. Reaction mechanism and kinetics are discussed with a unique focus on their relation with the inorganic chemistry of the catalyst material. An introductory chapter presents the development of catalysis science and catalyst discovery from a historical perspective. Five chapters that form the thrust of the book are organized by type of reaction, reactivity principles, and mechanistic theories, which provide the scientific basis to structure-function relationships of catalyst performance. Present-day challenges to catalysis are sketched in a final chapter. Written by one of the world's leading experts on the topic, this definitive text is an essential reference for students, researchers and engineers working in this multibillion-dollar field.