Chemical graph theory is a branch of mathematical chemistry which applies graph theory to mathematical modelling of chemical phenomena. ^[1] The pioneers of the chemical graph theory are Alexandru Balaban, Ivan Gutman, Haruo Hosoya, and Nenad Trinajstić.^[2] In 1988 it was reported that several hundred researchers work in this area producing about 500 articles annually. A number of monographs have been written in the area, including the two-volume comprehensive text by Trinajstic, Chemical Graph Theory, that summarized the field up to mid-1980s.^[3]

The adherents of the theory maintain that the properties of a chemical graph, i.e., a graph-theoretical representation of a molecule gives valuable insights into the chemical phenomena. The opponents contend that graphs play only a fringe role in chemical research. ^[4]

[edit] References

1. ^ Danail Bonchev, D.H. Rouvray (eds.) (1991) "Chemical Graph Theory: Introduction and Fundamentals", ISBN 0856264547
2. ^ Nenad Trinajstic – Pioneer of Chemical Graph Theory, by Milan Randić
3. ^ A review of the book by Ivan Gutman, Oskar E. Polansky, "Mathematical Concepts in Organic Chemistry" in SIAM Review Vol. 30, No. 2 (1988), pp. 348-350
4. ^ D.H. Rouvray, "Combinatorics in Chemistry", pp. 1955-1982, in: Ronald Graham, Martin Grötschel, László Lovász (Eds.) (1996)Handbook of Combinatorics, vol. II, ISBN 026207169X

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