We have analysed high‐dispersion echelle spectra (R ≳ 50 000) of red giant members for four open clusters to derive abundances for many elements. The spread in temperatures and gravities being very small among the red giants nearly the same stellar lines were employed thereby reducing the random errors. The errors of average abundance for the cluster were generally in the range 0.02–0.07 dex. Our present sample covers Galactocentric distances of 8.3–10.5 kpc. The [Fe/H] values are −0.02 ± 0.05 for NGC 752, −0.07 ± 0.06 for NGC 2360, −0.11 ± 0.05 for NGC 1817 and −0.19 ± 0.06 for NGC 2506. Abundances relative to Fe for elements from Na to Eu are equal within measurement uncertainties to published abundances for thin‐disc giants in the field. This supports the view that field stars come from disrupted open clusters.

We have collected high-dispersion echelle spectra of red giant members in the twelve open clusters (OCs) and derived stellar parameters and chemical abundances for 26 species by either line equivalent widths or synthetic spectrum analyses. We confirm the lack of an age−metallicity relation for OCs but argue that such a lack of trend for OCs arise from the limited coverage in metallicity compared to that of field stars which span a wide range in metallicity and age. We confirm that the radial metallicity gradient of OCs is steeper (flatter) for R gc < 12 kpc (>12 kpc). We demonstrate that the sample of clusters constituting a steep radial metallicity gradient of slope −0.052±0.011 dex kpc −1 at R gc < 12 kpc are younger than 1.5 Gyr and located close to the Galactic midplane (| z| < 0.5 kpc) with kinematics typical of the thin disc. Whereas the clusters describing a shallow slope of −0.015±0.007 dex kpc −1 at R gc > 12 kpc are relatively old, thick disc members with a striking spread in age and height above the midplane (0.5 < | z| < 2.5 kpc). Our investigation reveals that the OCs and field stars yield consistent radial metallicity gradients if the comparison is limited to samples drawn from the similar vertical heights. We argue via the computation of Galactic orbits that all the outer disc clusters were actually born inward of 12 kpc but the orbital eccentricity has taken them to present locations very far from their birthplaces.

We have analyzed high-resolution echelle spectra of red giant members for seven open clusters in the Galactic anticentre direction to explore their chemical compositions. Cluster membership has been confirmed by radial velocity. The spread in temperatures and gravities being very small among the red giants, nearly the same stellar lines were employed for all stars thereby reducing the abundance errors: the errors of the average abundance for a cluster were generally in the 0.02 to 0.05 dex range. Our present sample covers Galactocentric distances of 8.3 to 11.3 kpc and an age range of 0.2 to 4.3 Gyr. A careful comparison of our results for the cluster NGC 2682 (M 67) to other high-resolution abundance studies in the literature shows general good agreement for almost all elements in common.

We have analyzed high-resolution echelle spectra of red giant members for seven open clusters in the Galactic anticentre direction to explore their chemical compositions. Cluster membership has been confirmed by radial velocity. The spread in temperatures and gravities being very small among the red giants, nearly the same stellar lines were employed for all stars thereby reducing the abundance errors: the errors of the average abundance for a cluster were generally in the 0.02 to 0.05 dex range. Our present sample covers Galactocentric distances of 8.3 to 11.3 kpc and an age range of 0.2 to 4.3 Gyr. A careful comparison of our results for the cluster NGC 2682 (M 67) to other high-resolution abundance studies in the literature shows general good agreement for almost all elements in common.