The impressive development undergone by computer and information technologies is having a tremendous impact on education, expecially at high (university) level. In particular, this is radically changing the way chemical knowledge is stored, processed and handled to the user.

The present publication collects some reports from the laboratories involved in the “Multimedia in teaching and learning in chemistry” (Mutalc) working group of the European Chemistry Thematic Network (ECTN) and in ELCHEM (ELCHEM: a Metalaboratory to develop e-learning technologies for Chemistry) working group of the D23 (METACHEM: Metalaboratories for complex application in chemistry) COST in Chemistry action. Contributions from other European (INCOMED II) and national (IchemLab and VS-C) projects are also considered.

The action of these working groups is articulated into three main lines: the creation of a repository of data, tools and chemical knowledge accessible from internet; the preparation of specific teaching and learning units to be utilized on the web; the implementation of a Chemical Virtual laboratory.

The main aspects of these development lines are illustrated in some detail in the present publication that collects the contributions of a group of European laboratories cooperating in developing e-learning technologies in Europe. In the present publication accounts of the activities of the group (assembled in a bottom up fashion as in the best tradition of the COST in Chemistry initiatives) is also given.