Most of the papers contained in this volume are based on pres­ entations made at the symposium on Catalytic Conversions of Synthesis Gas and Alcohols to Chemicals, which was held at the 17th Middle At­ lantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, April 6-8, 1983, in the setting of the Pocono Hershey Resort, White Haven, PA. I thank Dr. Ned D. Heindel, General Chairman, and Dr. Natalie Foster, Program Chairman, both of Lehigh University, for the invitation to organize the symposium. Financial support was received from Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. for the organization of the symposium, and acknowledgement is made to Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and to the Donors of the Petroleum Research Fund, administered by the American Chemical Society, for partial support of the conduct of the symposium. The theme of this volume is the recent progress made in devel­ oping and understanding viable catalytic syntheses of chemicals di­ rectly from synthesis gas (CO + H2) or indirectly via alcohols. An aim of the symposium and of this volume is to provide a meaningful blend of applied and basic science and of the chemistry and engineer­ ing of processes that are, or hold promise to be, economically and industrially feasible. The topics demonstrate the increasing impor­ tance of synthesis gas as a versatile feedstock and emphasize the central role that alcohols, such as methanol, can playas chemical intermediates.