The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC, pronounced /ˈaɪjuːpæk/) is a non-governmental organization established in 1919 as the successor of the International Congress of Applied Chemistry for the advancement of chemistry.^[1] Its members are national chemistry societies. It is the recognized world authority in developing standards for the naming of the chemical elements and their compounds, through its Interdivisional Committee on Nomenclature and Symbols (IUPAC nomenclature). It is a member of the International Council for Science (ICSU).

Many IUPAC publications are available on the Internet. For example, Quantities, Units and Symbols in Physical Chemistry (the "Green Book") can be downloaded, while Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the "Gold Book") is searchable online. "Recommendations for nomenclature and tables in biochemical thermodynamics, 1994" is available in web form at http://www.chem.qmul.ac.uk/iubmb/thermod/.

IUPAC and UNESCO are the lead organizations coordinating events for the International Year of Chemistry, which will take place in 2011.^[2][3] The International Year of Chemistry will commemorate the achievements of chemistry, and its contributions to humankind.^[4]

[edit] References

1. ^ "IUPAC home page". http://www.iupac.org/. Retrieved 2009-08-27. 
2. ^ United Nations Observances. Retrieved on July 27, 2009.
3. ^ United Nations Resolution 63/209: International Year of Chemistry. February 3, 2009. Retrieved on July 22, 2009.
4. ^ About IYC: Introduction. July 9, 2009. Retrieved on July 22, 2009.

[edit] See also

• Element naming controversy
• International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB)
• International Chemical Identifier (InChI)
• Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM)
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
• International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry nomenclature
• European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences

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