Multiple quantum (MQ) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spin dynamics are investigated analytically in infinite one-dimensional (1D) chains of spins 1/2. The representation of spin 1/2 operators with fermion field operators allows to calculate exactly the spin density operator, and hence NMR observables, under a variety of different conditions for 1D spin systems. The exact expressions are valid for all times and for a macroscopic number of coupled spins. The calculations for a ID spin system initially at thermal equilibrium, and evolving under a 2-quantum/2-spin average dipolar Hamiltonian, in the presence of nearest-neighbor dipolar interactions yield MQ NMR spectra with 0- and 2-quantum coherences only. For a nonequilibrium initial condition with transverse magnetization, the analogous spin dynamics calculations produce MQ NMR spectra with all possible coherences of odd orders. Calculations at the level of perturbation theory, which include next-nearest-neighbor dipolar interactions, generate MQ spectra with higher even order coherences for equilibrium initial condition and evolution under a 2-quantum/2-spin propagator. Consideration of multiple spin correlations, 0-quantum coherences, and rf pulse imperfections are also presented. The relevance and implications of these theoretical results for comparison with the recent MQ NMR experiments of Yesinowski et al. on materials with quasi-one-dimensional distributions of spins, and for MQ NMR of solids in general are discussed. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.