Volume 75, No. 3, July 2011
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Inside Volume 75, No.3, July 2011 Articles and Features 117 What's New in Olefin Metathesis Catalyzed by Molybdenum and Tungsten Complexes? Richard R. Schrock 122 The Palladium-Catalysed Ullmann Cross-Coupling Reaction Martin G. Banwell, Matthew T. Jones and Tristan A. Reekie 128 Fraud in Organic Chemistry Mordecai B. Rubin 133 Development of NNZ-2566 as a Drug Candidate for Traumatic Brain Injury: The Neuren Story Margaret A. Brimble and Paul W. R. Harris 137 From Pesticides to Paint via Pharmaceuticals - the Evolution of New Zealand’s Applied Carbohydrate Chemistry R&D Richard H. Furneaux and Gary B. Evans 141 The Last 25 Years of Chemistry in Otago and Southland Barrie M. Peake 147 Chemistry in the Manawatu: Reflecting on the Last 25 Years Andrew M. Brodie 154 The NZIC Conference 2011: Hamilton 158 Book Review: Letters to a Young Chemist Other Columns 110 Comment from the President 155 Patent Proze 110 NZIC July News 157 Chemistry in the News 127 2011 IYC Calendar of Events 160 Conference Calendar 159 Dates of Note Inside back Grants and Awards Advertisers Inside front cover 5th Asian Pacific Conference 116 ChemEd 2011 136 Chemical Education Trust Back cover NZIC Conference 2011 109 Chemistry in New Zealand July 2011 Comment from the President I would like to begin this by dedicating it to our colleagues Wellington early in July. Details of a number of other ac- in Christchurch who have had to endure so much as a re- tivities can be found elsewhere in this issue of the Journal. sult of the February 22nd earthquake. The NZIC Council was in session that day, at the University of Canterbury Finally I would like to mention the ending of one of the NZIC News Staff Club, so we all experienced the shake, but having to biggest chemistry displays that was available world-wide. stay an extra night because the airport was closed is noth- The US Space Shuttle might have been a product of aero- ing compared to the continuing difficulties experienced space engineering, but it was chemistry that got it in to by those who live and work there. Just to let you know orbit. Each of its two solid rocket boosters contained 500 that we are all thinking of you. tonnes of chemical propellant (aluminium powder and ammonium perchlorate bound together by a polybutadi- The earthquake and its aftermath have also had an effect ene acrylic acid acrylonitrile terpolymer) which was all on NZIC publication activities, since these are all based in burned up in just 124 seconds (at 2300 °C), producing Christchurch. We had been planning to produce a second 13.8 million Newtons of thrust. In addition, the large fuel volume of New Zealand is Different to coincide with the tank that fed the shuttles three main engines contained 2011 International Year of Chemistry, but owing to the 735 tonnes of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen (all con- Department of Chemistry at the University of Canterbury sumed in just eight minutes), adding up to an impressive being effectively closed for two months, publication of display of chemical combustion. this may now slip to early 2012. However, other IYC events outside Christchurch continue as planned, with Gordon Rewcastle the National Secondary School Quiz having been held in President New Zealand Institute of Chemistry supporting chemical sciences July News We were saddened to hear of the undertook his lecture tour over a two Ms Wendy Jackson (Waikato). death of Dr. Jack Fergusson in a road week period from March 23. His lec- Mr Carrol Walkley (Manawatu). accident at the end of May. Jack (77) ture Science meets art: investigat- had been retired for some time after ing pigments in art and archaeology Dr Paul Teesdale-Spittle (Welling- many years as an inorganic chemist followed the article we published in ton) in the Chemistry Department at the Chemistry in New Zealand in the Jan- Mr Aidan Haig, Mrs Carolyn McLel- University of Canterbury. uary issue (2011, 75, 13-20). lan (Otago). Associate Professor Allan Easteal Kate McGrath, from Victoria Univer- Prof Anthony Hill (Overseas) passed away on the 6th June 2011. sity’s School of Chemical and Physi- cal Sciences, was appointed Direc- STUDENT MEMBERS The Institute congratulates Prof War- tor of the MacDiarmid Institute for ren Tait (Otago – Biochemistry) Advanced Materials and Nanotech- Mr Ashveen Nand, Mr Xiao Wang on becoming a Companion of the nology in mid-May and took up her (Auckland). New Zealand Order of Merit in the appointment on July 1, from when Miss Meenakshi Batra, Miss Anna Queen’s Birthday Honours. she was also appointed full professor Carter, Mr Neville Coughlan, Mr at VUW. Kate has been a Principal Kyle Devey, Mr Dominic Fitzpat- The RSNZ (NZIC) 2011 Marie Cu- Investigator with the Institute since rie Lecture Series has continued with rick, Mr Hamish Galt, Ms Alex- 2002, and is a member of the Insti- andra Keyte Beattie, Miss Jessica lectures in New Plymouth (March tute’s Science Executive Committee; 22) by Dr Bridget Stocker on Chem- MacAskill, Miss Samantha Muir, she will remain at Victoria Univer- Miss Adelle Nancekivell, Miss Nic- istry, immunology and the sweet stuff, sity. Dunedin (April 19) by A/Prof Kate ola Noort, Mr Sam Pachal, Miss McGrath from Materials to miracles, Maria Revell, Mr Prakash Sriniva- Nelson in May by Prof Penny Broth- MEMBERSHIP MATTERS san, Ms Keri Thomas, Mr Stephan ers, and June in Palmerston North by Turner, Mr Yuan Wang, Ms Wenjuan Yang (Waikato). Prof Christine Winterbourne Liv- MNZIC ing with oxygen. The 2011 RSNZ Mrs Rashida Longley, Mrs Priyanka Mr Sebastian Blackwood, Miss Ra- Distinguished Speaker, Prof Robin Parikh, Mr Jonathan Riddell, (Auck- chael Knapp, Miss Ashley Way, Miss Clark CNZM, FRS, Hon. FRSNZ land). Amy Willoughby (Manawatu). 110 Chemistry in New Zealand July 2011 Mr Cullum Boston, Miss Hilary and O/OREOS - showing the imple- Prof Jim Metson has been appointed Corkran, Dr Peter Ferguson, Mr mentation of miniaturized analytical as Head-of-School for a five year Gerard Moggre, Mr Chenlong Yu payload systems. term. As Jim commented recently, (Wellington). although this builds on a very long and distinguished history, the name Mr Solomon Wasseyehun Massey -Albany change is far more than symbolic as (Canterbury). Prof Peter Schwerdtfeger is current- it does reflect the increasing diversity Mr Alistair Lee, Mr James Lewis, ly Deputy Head of the New Zealand and reach of chemistry. Mr Samuel Walsh, Miss Cleo Davie Institute for Advanced Study and for Martin (Otago). the Institute of Natural Sciences at A recent addition to the School aca- Massey-Albany. He gave the 2011 demic staff has been Dr Donald Wlodkowic as a Senior Lecturer. Don- BRANCH NEWS ceremonial address (Festvortrag) on the occasion of the young achiev- ald has established the BioMEMS AUCKLAND ers prize (Mez-Starck MSc Prize) Research Group, with interests in On Monday 23rd May, the NZIC for the top MSc chemistry students constructing laboratories-on-a-chip, Auckland Branch held a competi- at the University of Ulm (Ulm is the and has a joint appointment with the tion at St Cuthbert’s College to select birthplace of Albert Einstein). His School of Biological Sciences. Also the secondary school team of four talk showed how Einstein’s relativity expected to join the School in July is students to represent the Auckland influences the chemistry and physics Dr Jianyong Jin as a Senior Lecturer region at the National NZIC Quiz of gold. He also delivered an NZIC in Polymer Chemistry. talk on Beyond the Periodic Table– final. This Secondary School Chem- A sad note has been the passing of two Going for the Superheavy elements istry Quiz was held in Wellington on staff members from the Departmen- and a chemistry seminar lecture on Tuesday 5 July 2011 with the NZIC tal scene. In March Linda Wright, a Left or Right in Nature–The Origin Auckland Branch providing funding highly valued member of the under- of Biomolecular Homochirality at for the team and a mentor to travel to graduate technical staff, suddenly Victoria University in Wellington. this event. The format for the Auck- passed away. Many members of the land competition was a nine-round Peter is currently on a two and a half Department, past and present, attend- quiz consisting of chemistry theory months leave to participate at interna- ed her funeral in support of Linda’s and trivia questions. There were 34 tional conferences in Spain, Germa- family, who have strong connections teams of 4 students, from 22 schools, ny and Austria, and to give lectures to the Department also through Lin- with the team from Whangarei Girls at universities throughout Germany. da’s father, A/Prof Graham Wright. High School travelling the furthest. Tim Hangele (Cologne University) More recently, news came through of After answering almost 100 ques- and Anna-Lena Deppenmeier (Göt- Alan Grout’s passing. Alan worked tions, the final results gave the top 5 tingen University) joined the Centre in the Department for many years, schools in order as: for Theoretical Chemistry (CPCT) including the transition from Old for postgraduate studies. Four current st nd Choral Hall to the current building in 1 Macleans College; 2 Auckland members of CTCP (Dr Elke Pahl, rd the late 60s and later became Chief Grammar; 3 St Cuthbert's College; Dr Anastasia Borschevsky, Tim and 4th: Alfriston College; 5th Onehunga Technical Officer. Peter) are invited to present talks or High School posters at the WATOC congress in In June, the School held its third Congratulations to all the students in- Santiago de Compostela in Spain. annual research showcase with the volved and to the winning team.