JANUARY 18, 2010 PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY .10 Chemical reform, 1 climate on tapfor 2010 P. CONGRESSIONAL OUTLOOK ACS honors decipheringof Proteomics findssystemic CHEMICAL LANDMARK genetic code atNIH aspects of disease SCHIZOPHRENIA .26 2 P. .28 2 P. )#3%
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*APAN  4(%).4%2.!4)/.!,#/.42!#43%26)#%3%8()")4)/. CLINICAL TRIALS | CONTRACT RESEARCH | BIOTECHNOLOGY | IT | CUSTOM MANUFACTURING | ANALYTICAL SERVICES | PACKAGING SERVICES LOGISTICS | SERVICES PACKAGING | ANALYTICAL | MANUFACTURING | CUSTOM | IT BIOTECHNOLOGY | RESEARCH CONTRACT | TRIALS CLINICAL Serving the chemical, VOLUME 88, NUMBER 3 life sciences, JANUARY 18, 2009 and laboratory worlds

21 INSIGHTS COVER STORY Greater availability of information is fueling the rise of the patient in health care. 2010 GOVERNMENT & POLICY CONGRESSIONAL 22 CONCENTRATES 23 INSIGHTS OUTLOOK Although chemical control act needs reform, some data confidentiality must remain to foster Climate change, innovation. plant security, and food safety will compete for Congress’ SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 24 CONCENTRATES attention this year. PAGE 10 26 STUDYING SCHIZOPHRENIA Using proteomic methods, scientists find that changes in peripheral cells reflect changes in the brain. QUOTE NEWS OF THE WEEK 27 NEW HUMAN SEX HORMONE OF THE WEEK 5 UPBEAT PHARMA First found in birds, compound may influence “I’d compare Executives of major drug companies express human reproduction and fertility. patient advocacy renewed optimism at health care conference. to fuel. If you 6 REMOVING CO2 FROM AIR ACS NEWS take fuel and Catalytic process converts greenhouse gas to 28 CHEMICAL LANDMARK refine it, it can oxalate, a useful organic feedstock. ACS honors work deciphering the genetic code at add enormous 6 QUESTIONING PHARMA DEALS NIH as its newest landmark. p o w e r.” European regulators scrutinize deals between JONATHAN brand-name companies and generic drug firms. ACS NATIONAL AWARDS JACOBY, HEAD, RARE 7 ASIA ON THE MOVE 30 2010 WINNERS PROJECT PAGE 21 China and other Asian nations are surging Adams, Castleman, Cella, Flynn, Lerman, Miller, forward in science and engineering, NSF report Stephanopoulos, and Thiel. shows. 7 DOW AT DETROIT AUTO SHOW THE DEPARTMENTS Firm showcases its lithium battery joint venture, 2 LETTERS other technologies. 3 EDITOR’S PAGE 18 8 TOUGHER OZONE STANDARDS 35 OBITUARIES EPA wants to lower the limits of ground-level 37 EMPLOYMENT ozone, drawing both praise and criticism. 40 NEWSCRIPTS 8 CLEAN-ENERGY WINDFALL Huge tax credits from Uncle Sam are going to COVER: Fresco by Constantino 28 firms with renewable energy projects. Brumidi (1865) in the U.S. Capitol 9 “GREEN” GOLD CATALYSIS dome. Architect of the Capitol Nanoporous gold material catalyzes oxidation reactions under mild conditions. 9 AMAZING DROPLETS THIS WEEK OONLINENLINE Tiny spheres of 2-hexyldecanoic acid traverse a WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG complex maze with a pH gradient. CALENDAR UPDATE BUSINESS 16 CONCENTRATES C&EN’s latest list of meetings and 18 PVC THE HARD WAY events for the chemical community in China is determined to make the old-school 2010 is available at pubs.acs.org/cen/ calcium carbide route to PVC work in today’s html/calendars. environment. 20 GELEST PLUS: Check out a collection of safety letters submitted by readers at www.cen-online. Small custom chemical firm flies below the radar org/safety. of its larger competitors.

CENEAR 88 (3) 1–40 • ISSN 0009-2347 LETTERS

although no hazard was ever encountered. occurred upon adding the first few drops CHEMICAL SAFETY: In this incident, the explosion occurred as of copper catalyst, which makes crystal- TRIMETHYLSILYLACETYLENE soon as we started adding the solution of lization of the explosive intermediate— EXPLOSION catalyst in acetone to the reaction. copper bis(trimethylsilylacetylide)—highly We have consulted with the pioneer of improbable. WE WOULD LIKE to report an explosion this reaction (Allan S. Hay) and the sub- We speculate that a discharge of static that occurred in our laboratory last year mitting author of the procedure (Holmes) electricity between the syringe needle while performing an oxidative coupling of and considered various scenarios to ex- and the digital thermometer inside the trimethylsilylacetylene (TMSA) in a Gla- plain the explosion. Ignition of acetone/ flask is the most likely cause of this explo- ser-Hay reaction. The explosion ruptured TMSA vapor by the external sources sion. A digital thermometer connected the 2-L reaction flask and seriously injured was hardly possible as the flask was well to a stirring hot plate (IKA) was used in a researcher. sealed and the outgoing gases were passed the reaction, and a plastic syringe with a This reaction has been routinely used in through a dry-ice condenser (lowering the long metal needle was introduced through our and many other laboratories to prepare vapor pressure below the explosive con- the same neck. An induced static volt- 1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)butadiyne-1,3 on a centration) and brought to the back side age on the syringe through friction from large scale (>100 g), and no dangerous or of the fume hood through a 1-meter hose. handling (often observed in Montreal unusual behavior was previously noted. The reaction temperature (5 ºC) was winter indoors while walking or even sim- The procedure involves purging oxygen noted by the researcher a few seconds ply sitting) could then cause a sufficient through a solution of TMSA in acetone in before the explosion, thus ruling out unex- differential potential on the needle for a the presence of a copper(I) chloride:tet- pected reaction exothermy. The autoigni- discharge spark to occur close to the me- ramethylethylenediamine complex catalyst tion of the vapor on a hot stirring adapter tallic body of the digital thermometer. The at room temperature as described by An- (possibly heated by rotation-induced oxygen-rich atmosphere lowers the igni- drew B. Holmes et al. ( Org. Syntheses 1993, friction) was refuted, because joint lubri- tion energy and makes even a weak spark Coll. Vol. 8, 63). The authors of the procedure cation was checked before setting up the sufficient to cause a fire. recommend a safety shield as a general experiment, and it would have required The incident emphasizes once more the precaution while working with flammable achieving an unrealistic temperature of potential danger of mixing oxygen gas with materials in the atmosphere of oxygen, greater than 300 ºC. Also, the explosion flammable solvents or reagents. More im- portant, introducing two conductors into a flask brings a risk of static electricity dis- charge between the conductors, which is O N N dangerous whenever a flammable solvent S O N O is used without inert gas. As wired metal- 559139 gauge digital thermometers are used more 194019 often in synthetic practice, precautions must be taken to avoid their contact with O O O other metallic (conducting) parts inside F the reaction flasks. N F Dmitrii F. Perepichka N Cl N NH F 2 Shehzad Jeeva F H Montreal 784867 Purity. 795523

N N O A WARY CRAFTER O S H N N + Availability. 2 N N O – I RECENTLY STARTED sewing items from 296966 274569 oilcloth, the material used in the 1950s and 1960s for picnic tablecloths and the like. As Value. with so many other things from “the good NH O N N O old days,” oilcloth is enjoying a renaissance O NH among crafters. It is available in many pat- NH NH HO www.jk-scientific.com N 2 terns and colors from a number of online 784835 296461 fabric stores as well as chain stores catering to those of us who enjoy sewing. While innocently “surfing” among the Cl O Available In North America Exclusively From: O HO many websites and blogs by and for people Cl O N like me, I was amazed to find that there N N N are some real concerns regarding the use of oilcloth for food-contact applications, 286642 299849 especially its use for lunch bags. The Continued on page 4

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 2 JANUARY 18, 2010 FROM THE EDITOR CHEMICAL & ENGINEERING NEWS 1155—16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036 (202) 872-4600 or (800) 227-5558

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Rudy M. Baum DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: A. Maureen Rouhi MANAGING EDITOR: Robin M. Giroux Congressional Outlook

SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER: Marvel A. Wills NEWS THIS WEEK’S cover story is C&EN’s annu- In the area of homeland security, to take William G. Schulz, Editor al “Congressional Outlook,” which surveys another example, the current plant security BUSINESS Michael McCoy, Assistant Managing Editor many of the important issues of interest regulatory program will expire in Octo- NORTHEAST: (732) 906-8300 Lisa M. Jarvis (Senior to the chemistry enterprise that will (or ber. The battle lines here center on how Editor), Rick Mullin (Senior Editor), Marc S. Reisch (Senior Correspondent), Alexander H. Tullo (Senior will not) be addressed by Congress in the legislation will deal with “inherently safer Editor), Rachel Eskenazi (Administrative Assistant). HONG KONG: 852 2984 9072 Jean-François coming year. C&EN’s entire Government technology” (IST). If implemented in a Tremblay (Senior Correspondent). HOUSTON: (281) & Policy Department staff, headed by As- ham-handed fashion, IST could prove to be 486-3900 Ann M. Thayer (Senior Correspondent). WASHINGTON: Melody Voith (Senior Editor) sistant Managing Editor Susan Morrissey, a nightmare for the chemical industry.

GOVERNMENT & POLICY contributed to the feature. Susan R. Morrissey, Assistant Managing Editor With Democrats firmly in control of Con- ON A DIFFERENT matter, many of you Britt E. Erickson (Associate Editor), David J. Hanson (Senior Correspondent), Glenn Hess (Senior gress and President Barack Obama in the will receive in the coming days an e-mail Editor), Cheryl Hogue (Senior Correspondent), Jeffrey W. Johnson (Senior Correspondent) White House, one would expect that many from ACS CEO and Executive Director pressing science, technology, and environ- Madeleine Jacobs in which she asks you to SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY/EDUCATION BOSTON: (617) 395-4163 Amanda Yarnell, Assistant mental issues would receive attention from complete a 13-question survey about your- Managing Editor. WASHINGTON: Stuart A. Borman (Deputy Assistant Managing Editor), Celia Henry Arnaud the second session of the 111th Congress. self. The survey has questions such as the (Senior Editor), Carmen Drahl (Assistant Editor), However, 2010 is an election year, and it following: Stephen K. Ritter (Senior Correspondent), Sophie L. Rovner (Senior Editor). BERLIN: 49 30 2123 3740 Sarah won’t be many months before congressional ■ Which best represents your employer? Everts (Associate Editor). CHICAGO: (847) 679-1156 ■ Mitch Jacoby (Senior Editor). NORTHEAST: (732) 906- attention moves from issues to campaign- Which best represents your current 8302 Bethany Halford (Senior Editor). WEST COAST: ing. Additionally, as the government and title? (925) 485-1034 Jyllian Kemsley (Associate Editor). (510) 870-1617 Elizabeth K. Wilson (Senior Editor). BEIJING: policy staff point out: “Topics familiar from ■ What is the highest academic degree 150 1138 8372 Jessie Jiang (Contributing Editor) the first session will continue to dominate you have received? ACS NEWS & SPECIAL FEATURES congressional activity. That means health ■ What category best describes your Linda Raber, Assistant Managing Editor Linda Wang (Associate Editor) care, Wall Street financial reform, and eco- field of research? DALLAS: (972) 529-4351 Susan J. Ainsworth (Senior Editor) nomic-stimulus-related legislation all will This demographic survey of ACS mem- again compete for congressional attention. bers is of great importance to the ACS EDITING & PRODUCTION Kimberly R. Twambly, Senior Editor Being added to the agenda this year is the Membership & Scientific Advancement Alicia J. Chambers (Assistant Editor), Kenneth J. Moore (Assistant Editor), Lauren K. Wolf (Assistant Editor) reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act.” Division and the Publications Division, in Arlene Goldberg-Gist (Senior Editor) Partisan gridlock will also contribute to particular C&EN. As Jacobs notes in her Faith Hayden (Assistant Editor) stymieing progress on issues like energy letter, “As we plan for the future, we want ART & DESIGN Nathan Becker, Design Director and climate change, revamping the 1976 to ensure that all of our ACS programs are Robin L. Braverman (Senior Art Director) Toxic Substances Control Act, passing relevant to the needs and interests of our Monica C. Gilbert (Staff Artist) permanent chemical plant security legisla- members. To that end, it is imperative that C&EN ONLINE Rachel Sheremeta Pepling, Editor tion, modernizing U.S. food safety laws, we have up-to-date demographic informa- Tchad K. Blair (Visual Designer), Luis A. Carrillo and reforming patent laws. That’s too bad tion on our members. Knowing where our (Production Manager), Ty A. Finocchiaro (Web Associate) because all of these issues are critical to the members work, what areas of science they PRODUCTION & IMAGING Renee L. Zerby, Lead Digital Production Specialist health of the U.S. economy and environ- work in, and other important information Tim Bauer, Sidney Buckle, and Steven J. ment and to the security of the nation. will assist the ACS leadership, technical Lovasz (Digital Production Associates) Progress on energy and climate-change divisions, local sections, and committees in SALES & MARKETING Elise Swinehart, Assistant Director legislation is not only about protecting the launching new programs, evaluating exist- Elaine Facciolli Jarrett (Marketing Manager) environment, for example. It’s also about ing membership benefits, and conducting Angela Yeo (Associate Marketing Manager) U.S. competitiveness and U.S. jobs. “We strategic short- and long-range planning.” ADVISORY BOARD Magid Abou-Gharbia, David N. Beratan, Jim Birnie, need cap and trade as a road map to make Such information is also of great im- Jean-Claude Bradley, Gary Calabrese, David Clary, sure resources are going to the right plac- portance to C&EN in having a strong audit Rita R. Colwell, Daryl W. Ditz, Michael P. Doyle, Arthur B. Ellis, James R. Heath, Rebecca Hoye, Malika Jeffries-El, es,” Charles O. Holliday Jr., former chair- statement on which to base our advertising Harry Kroto, Roger LaForce, Derek Lowe, Aslam Malik, Andrew D. Maynard, Harold Meckler, Nick Roelofs, man and chief executive officer of DuPont, rates. Advertising revenues, remember, are Thomas R. Tritton, Pratibha Varma-Nelson, Paul A. told C&EN at a World Resources Institute what pay for the journalism you have come Wender, George Whitesides, Frank Wicks, Elias Zerhouni, David Zimmermann briefing. In the marketplace for clean en- to rely on from C&EN. Please take five min-

Published by the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY ergy, Holliday said, “China is a leader, and utes or so to complete the questionnaire Madeleine Jacobs, Executive Director & CEO they see this coming. When clean energy and return it today. Brian Crawford, President, Publications Division markets open up, they are going to beat Thanks for reading. EDITORIAL BOARD: John N. Russell Jr. (Chair); ACS Board of Directors Chair: Bonnie A. Charpentier; us. Our advantage is we are fast and entre- ACS President: Joseph S. Francisco; Ned D. Heindel, preneurial, but we need market signals to Madeleine M. Joullié, Leah Solla, Peter J. Stang move that way. This is a revolution, and it Copyright 2010, American Chemical Society Canadian GST Reg. No. R127571347 won’t happen for us without a market.” Editor-in-chief Volume 88, Number 3

Views expressed on this page are those of the author and not necessarily those of ACS.

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 3 JANUARY 18, 2010 LETTERS

LETTERS Escherichia coli in meat) and not the packaging. I have yet to reach continued from page 2 anyone at FDA. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me. I never would problem seems to hinge upon the vinyl used to coat the cotton have expected my sewing hobby to lead to such concerns! “web” that is printed with the pattern. Of course, the vinyl coating Opal Rosenfeld is the feature that makes oilcloth so attractive to use in lunch bags Minneapolis because it is moisture resistant. Children 12 and under are consid- ered to be at the greatest risk—exactly the group most likely to use lunch bags! EMPLOYMENT OF CHEMISTS Other fabrics, such as “laminated cotton,” PUL (which I believe is an acronym for polyurethane laminates), and even rip-stop nylon I’M WRITING ABOUT the article “Shipping Drug R&D Abroad” are also suspected as being hazardous when used in direct contact (C&EN, Oct. 12, 2009, page 16). I’m 22, and I graduated from col- with food. Built (builtny.com) is a brand of very attractive neo- lege in May and went straight on to graduate school. What upsets prene-based lunch bags and other items. The company says neo- me is that I chose chemistry specifically with the hopes that one prene is safe, but after reading your article on leachates from pack- day I could work in drug R&D. I also chose science because I be- aging I don’t know what to think (C&EN, Aug. 31, 2009, page 11). lieved it was stable and actually quite beneficial. If I had known it The underlying motive for sewing and using these articles for would be like this, I would have just tried to become a pop star! lunch bags is to minimize the millions of single-use plastic and I’m worried about the future of R&D in the states, even if the paper bags used to package foods to take to school and work. As professionals quoted in the article aren’t. Given the bad economy, virtuous as it might be to limit disposables, however, I don’t want recession, layoffs, and now outsourcing, it seems like young adults to replace one hazard with another. don’t have a chance. Would lining an oilcloth lunch bag would make it safe for use? Even if jobs were to become available, I’m quite certain we’d be Can these fabrics be used to sew aprons, placemats, and other at the end of everyone’s list to interview. It seems painfully obvious products that are used with food, but not directly to package it? to me and everyone I know: No one will hire us if we have no expe- I contacted the Department of Agriculture but was referred to rience, and we can’t get experience because no one will hire us. the Food & Drug Administration because the USDA apparently is Science is obviously the way of the future. If you have to go concerned “only” with the safety of the food itself (for example, abroad to find R&D talent, doesn’t that mean there isn’t a talent pool in the U.S.? And if we have a talent pool of experienced R&D scientists, aren’t inexperienced scientists going to falter and fall to the side? I fear that we’ll fall behind in science because absolutely no opportunities are being offered. When the outsourcing hype dies down, then what? We try again here? How can we be certain that we will have anyone qualified to do the work? When I graduate in two years, I don’t think anything will have turned around. I just don’t think anyone should be sur- prised in two, five, or 10 years when we need R&D in the U.S. and turnout is less than stellar. Tisha Hutchinson Piscataway, N.J.

M. MATELICH really hit it in his letter, “Boys and Science Educa- tion” (C&EN, Sept. 28, 2009, page 7), which also confirmed the article titled “Vanishing Plants” the previous week (C&EN, Sept. 21, 2009, page 21). In it, we read that DuPont (Itypalon), Dow (Solution Vinyls), Celanese (formic acid), and Nova (SMA copoly- mers) have all closed plants that were domestic producers, leaving a number of chemists to join the unemployment ranks. In addition, supplies of those chemicals now have to be brought in from foreign sources. This goes along with the pharmaceutical industry slowly outsourcing R&D. In the past 50 years, we’ve seen a slow erosion of U.S. manufac- turing capacity and greater dependence on foreign suppliers. This leads to two questions: Will we really need any chemists in the future, and will the U.S. economy be able to survive to any major degree as an almost 100% service and almost 0% manufacturing economy? We may well be entering an era when employment of chemists becomes a corporate luxury. Bob Weiner Northbrook, Ill.

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 4 JANUARY 18, 2010 news of the week JANUARY 18, 2010 EDITED BY WILLIAM G. SCHULZ & KIMBERLY R. TWAMBLY

a combined R&D operation with a budget on par with FRESH START what Pfizer alone spent before the merger. Peter S. Kim, president of Merck Research Laborato- FOR PHARMA ries, said his firm’s combined portfolio should be at “the OUTLOOK: Despite challenges, right size” by the end of the month. Before Merck closed on its purchase of Schering-Plough in November, the drug firms were upbeat at the companies had already begun preparing to consolidate JPMorgan Healthcare meeting their pipelines, drawing up a dossier on the scientific, competitive, and financial merits of each molecule. L I L LY Since the merger, Merck has held two weekend-long IFE SCIENCES EXECUTIVES attending the an- meetings to separate the winners and losers, with an nual JPMorgan Healthcare Conference in San equal number of cuts coming from each side, Kim said. L Francisco last week exuded optimism that their At the conference, nearly every big pharma com- industry is moving beyond a trying period. Smaller pany highlighted a strategy in emerging markets, companies were hopeful that the financial turmoil has which are important growth opportunities for both subsided, and bigger firms were keen to show they are branded and off-patent products. In the years ahead, getting back to business after a wave of consolidation. more than 50% of growth in the drug industry will “A year ago, the pessimism was at every level,” said come from those regions, noted Sanofi-Aventis CEO Lechleiter Steven R. Gullans, managing director of Excel Venture Christopher Viehbacher. Management, which invests in small life sciences firms. Several firms’ strategies for emerging markets Biotech entrepreneurs couldn’t raise money, bankers include pushing into the generics business. In the were worried about their jobs, and venture capitalists past year, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, and GlaxoSmith- were wary of financing companies that may not pro- Kline have all bought generics firms in countries with duce a return for years, if ever, he said. growth potential to jump-start business there. SANOFI-AVENTIS Today, the capital markets But some pharma ex- seem to be coming back. And ecutives suggest the industry although the biotech crowd MERCK should advance that strategy has thinned in the past year, with caution. For example, investors predict that the although Roche has earmarked modestly healthier financial developing countries as an Viehbacher climate will allow some of the area of growth, Chief Financial survivors to go public this year. Officer Erich Hunziker noted Meanwhile, big pharma that the firm is “committed still faces many of the same to some, but not all” regions. challenges it did before the He suggested that it would be crisis: patent expirations, tough to guarantee financial fewer product launches, and control over acquisitions in shrinking health care budgets, some of the more challenging to name a few. But companies markets. presenting at the conference Eli Lilly & Co.’s primary seem to have accepted those objective in emerging mar- hurdles and are focused on kets is to sell products from new and improved strategies Merck is consolidating its existing portfolio, said CEO John C. Lechleiter. To to overcome them. research after help accomplish this goal, the company has doubled its To that end, Pfizer and its purchase of presence in China, adding 1,000 people on the ground Merck & Co. talked up the Schering-Plough. to promote Lilly medicines. Unlike some of its peers, efficiency of new R&D opera- “we don’t intend to build a generics business in emerg- tions resulting from their 2009 acquisitions of Wyeth ing markets,” Lechleiter said. and Schering-Plough, respectively. Big-pharma executives at the conference also ac- Martin Mackay, president of PharmaTherapeutics knowledged that the days of launching products with R&D at Pfizer, noted at the conference that a portfolio incremental benefit to patients are over. “In today’s review now under way will ultimately reduce the num- world of shrinking health care budgets, we can no lon- ber of molecules in development at the firm by 25%. ger get money for medicines with little or no value,” At the end of the process, Pfizer expects to be running Lechleiter said. —LISA JARVIS

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 5 JANUARY 18, 2010 NEWS OF THE WEEK

as formaldehyde and methanol. Catalytic conversion NEW WAY TO ‘FIX’ CO2 is more efficient and practical for large-scale use, but current catalysts can’t be used on CO in air because ELECTROCATALYSIS: 2 Process they also reduce oxygen, which is present in air at vast- converts CO2 in air into the useful ly higher levels than CO2 . In addition, they are unselec- organic feedstock oxalate tive, creating mixtures of organic products. Inorganic chemist Elisabeth Bouwman of Leiden University, in the Netherlands, and coworkers have now N A STUDY with implications for addressing developed a catalyst that reacts with CO2 from ambient global warming, researchers have devised a new air to form a single product: oxalate, a useful feedstock Iway to remove the greenhouse gas CO 2 from air for production of methyl glycolate and other organic and form a useful organic feedstock in the process compounds. After the reaction, the catalyst is regener- ( Science 2010, 327, 313). The technique is still at the ated electrochemically at a very low reduction poten- In the presence of demonstration stage but has promising advantages tial, meaning it is unusually favorable energetically. CO2 in air, catalyst (left) reacts to over other CO 2 sequestration strategies. The process won’t ameliorate the global warming form a complex Previously devised processes problem right away—and maybe never will. “Our study containing two for “fixing” CO2 include stoi- is purely fundamental, and the findings will need a lot oxalates (mostly chiometric reactions of additional work before they could possibly be ap- red), which can be with hydroxide to plied in an industrial setting,” Bouwman notes. liberated by acid form carbonate or bi- Nevertheless, “it’s amazing” that this catalyst treatment. Cu is green, N is blue, S carbonate and catalytic reduces CO2 preferentially over oxygen and that is yellow, O is red, transformations to form the electrochemical step requires so little energy— and C is black. organic compounds such suggesting that “the catalyst’s structure is almost per- fectly matched to the reaction it’s driving,” comments Clifford P. Kubiak of the University of California, San Diego, a specialist in CO 2 conversion. Compared with other ways to remove CO2 from air, convert-

ing the greenhouse gas to oxalate catalytically, SCIENCE efficiently, and selectively “is near the top of the desir-

ability rankings,” he says.—STU BORMAN © 2010

ment in order to better understand why, by whom, and QUESTIONED DEALS under which conditions they are concluded.” Although the EC isn’t specifying which companies IN EUROPE were asked for documents, a separate EC press release PHARMACEUTICALS: says a formal antitrust investigation is under way at the European Danish company Lundbeck concerning deals that may Commission seeks to vet settlements hinder the entry of generics competition to the firm’s for payoffs to generic drugmakers citalopram, an antidepressant. The monitoring program in Europe follows action in the U.S. to address similar deals between brand-name

EC HE EUROPEAN Commission (EC) has asked drug companies and generic drug companies (see page several pharmaceutical companies to submit 22). The health care bill approved by the House of Repre- T the details of patent settlements with generic sentatives last year includes an amendment prohibiting drugmakers to determine whether payments made to payoffs to generics firms (C&EN, Aug. 10, 2009, page 8). generics firms to delay the introduction of low-priced The Senate is now considering a proposal for a similar ban alternatives to brand-name drugs have hurt consumers. as Congress hammers out final health care legislation. The inquiry follows a report published by the EC in Patent attorneys in the U.S. and Europe tell C&EN November 2009 claiming evidence that pharmaceuti- that the vetting of patent settlements is complicated cal companies have engaged in a variety of practices, by an inherent tension between antitrust law, which including payoffs to generics competitors, that diverted guards against monopolies, and patent law, which es- as much as $4 billion in savings that would have resulted tablishes short-term monopolies. Kroes from timely introduction of generic drugs in Europe. “You have patents on one hand, competition on the “Patent settlements are an area of concern, not least other,” says Neil Jenkins, an attorney with Bird & Bird if there are situations where an originator company in London, noting that his firm represents both brand- pays off a generic competitor in return for delayed mar- name drug firms and generic drugmakers. “Where the ket entry,” says Neelie Kroes, the EC commissioner for balance is at the moment is considered fair enough.”— competition. “We need to monitor this type of agree- RICK MULLIN

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 6 JANUARY 18, 2010 NEWS OF THE WEEK

Korea, and Taiwan, spent a ASIA RISING total of $338 billion on R&D GLOBAL R&D EXPENDITURES in 2007, approaching the $369 Asia has surpassed EU’s and is SCIENCE INDICATORS: China and billion spent by the U.S. and approaching U.S.’s spending other Asian nations strengthen their far more than the $263 billion spent by the EU, the report $ Billions positions in research and engineering 400 states. The rate of growth in R&D spending is also much 350 CIENTIFIC RESEARCH and high-technology in- higher for Asian nations, about 300 dustries continue to shift geographically from the 10%, compared with 5% for the U.S. 250 SU.S. and Europe to Asia, according to the latest U.S. At this rate, total Asian edition of the “Science & Engineering Indicators” (SEI) R&D spending can be expected 200 EU Asia from the National Science Foundation. Rising industrial to surpass that of the U.S. in a 150 nations such as China and South Korea are becoming few years, if not already. 100 increasingly important as technology manufacturers, The data also show that 1996 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 research centers, and science educators, the report finds. peer-reviewed journal articles SEI 2010, the massive volume of quantitative data are increasingly coming from NOTE: Asia includes China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. EU on the U.S. and international science and engineering China, especially in the physi- includes all 27 European Union countries. enterprise, was compiled by NSF’s Division of Science cal sciences and engineering SOURCE: “Science & Engineering Indicators” 2010 Resources Statistics. It provides a factual and policy- (C&EN, Jan. 11, page 35). But neutral description of the scope and vitality of the glob- patent activity is changing much more slowly, with the al science and engineering enterprise. U.S. still receiving about half the patents

“The take-home line from this report is N S F awarded by the U.S. Patent & Trademark that science and technology is no longer Office and China and Asian nations post- the sole province of the rich, developed ing only small increases. nations,” Rolf F. Lehming, director of the The most dramatic shift is in the man- indicators project, said at a briefing on the ufacture and export of high-technology report. “Science has been democratized products, including computers, phar- and moved all over the world. This brings maceuticals, and scientific equipment, many competitive elements into play, and which had previously been dominated the results are very difficult to foresee.” by the U.S. and Japan. Twelve years ago, The U.S. continues to hold its position for instance, China produced almost no of science and technology leadership computers, but by 2007 it was making in the world, the report finds. But this nearly 40% of the world’s supply. position is eroding in many areas because of the rapid The continued strong growth by China and other increase in capabilities by Asian nations and the efforts Asian nations is the biggest surprise in this year’s re- by the European Union to boost its competitiveness. port, Lehming said. “We had been reporting on the con- The changes are evident in data on R&D spending. solidation of these trends, but now they seem so much Advancing Asian nations, including China, India, South more solid,” he said. —DAVID HANSON

AUTO SHOW Dow’s presence in Detroit marks deepening involvement with cars

At the North American International Wash.-based Commuter When Dow agreed to Auto Show, which opened last week in Cars (shown). Others are sponsor the exhibit last Detroit’s Cobo Center, one expects to see relatively staid, such as fall, its involvement in big pavilions dedicated to Ford, General the Leaf, a lithium-battery- batteries was an impor- Motors, and Chrysler. But this year, an- powered four-door vehicle tant motive, says Peter A. other Michigan firm has a big presence: that Nissan plans to build Molinaro, a vice president Dow Chemical. in Tennessee in 2012. for government affairs. Marking the first time a non-auto man- Dow Kokam, Dow’s lith- But Dow products such as ufacturer is part of the show’s main floor, ium battery joint venture fluids and polymers also Dow is sponsoring the Electric Avenue with TK Advanced Battery, has a display play a role in making cars more fuel ef- exhibit, where it also has a booth. The in the show’s EcoXperience section. The ficient, Molinaro notes. “When you think 37,000-sq-ft exhibit features nearly 20 venture is planning to spend $600 mil- of what it is going to take to transform electric vehicles. Some of these are flam- lion—$161 million of it from the federal this automotive industry and the way we boyantly avant-garde, such as the 39-inch- government—on a battery facility in Mid- transport people, chemistry is really a wide Tango 600, made by Spokane, land, Mich., by 2011. key enabler,” he adds. —ALEX TULLO COMMUTER COMMUTER CARS

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 7 JANUARY 18, 2010 NEWS OF THE WEEK

dards is a long-overdue action that will help millions RATCHETING of Americans breathe easier and live healthier,” EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson says. DOWN OZONE Endorsing the plan are the American Lung Associa- EPA: tion and other health and environmental groups. Proposal would strengthen “If EPA follows through, it will mean significantly national air quality standard cleaner air and better health protection,” says Frank O’Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch, an environ- mental group. PA IS PROPOSING to tighten the nation’s air Many industry groups are opposing the proposed quality standard for ground-level ozone, a move standard, saying it will be too expensive to meet. “There Ethat could carry a big price tag for industry while is absolutely no basis for EPA to propose changing the delivering large health benefits to Americans. ozone standards promulgated by the EPA administrator The proposed standard would limit ground-level in 2008,” the American Petroleum Institute says. ozone to between 0.060 and 0.070 ppm, strengthening If finalized, the proposed standard would require the current standard of 0.075 ppm set by EPA in 2008 state and local regulators to clamp down on ozone- under the Bush Administration. forming emissions from industry and vehicle traffic. EPA estimates that the proposal would cost between “State and local air quality officials are fully aware of $19 billion and $90 billion to implement and would yield the daunting challenges implementation of such new health benefits of between $13 billion and $100 billion. standards will pose,” says S. William Becker, executive The proposed standard, issued on Jan. 7, is identi- director of the National Association of Clean Air Agen- cal to the range that the agency’s Clean Air Scientific cies. “However, as stewards of the air that citizens of Advisory Committee in 2006 said would provide an this nation breathe, we stand ready to face, and over- adequate margin of protection for millions of people come, those challenges.” susceptible to respiratory illnesses. EPA has scheduled three public hearings in February

DREAMSTIME DREAMSTIME “Using the best science to strengthen these stan- on the proposed rule.—CHERYL HOGUE

con plant in Charleston, Tenn. Both plants will supply CLEAN ENERGY raw material for traditional photovoltaic solar cells. DuPont, Dow Corning, PPG Industries, and Dow WINDFALL: Chemical firms win Chemical will receive tax credits for materials, includ- recovery-act tax credits for new plants ing films and coatings, used in the manufacture of solar cells. Dow will also get a $17.8 million credit for produc- ing solar building products, including its Powerhouse NUMBER of chemical and materials companies Solar Shingles, to be manufactured in Midland, Mich. received some happy news from the Internal Rev- Not all the credits target solar. Biocatalysts maker A enue Service. As part of a $2.3 billion tax credit Novozymes will get a $28.4 million credit to produce program under the American Recovery & Reinvestment enzymes for cellulosic ethanol at a facility in Blair, Neb. Act of 2009, they have been awarded tax breaks designed Carbon fiber and composites firm Hexcel will enjoy an to spur manufacturing in the clean-energy sector. $8.1 million boost for its wind blade materials facility Hemlock Semiconductor—a joint venture of Dow in Windsor, Colo. Transportation and building equip- Corning, Shin-Etsu Handotai, and Mitsubishi Material— ment firms are also receiving credits. will get the largest credit: $141.9 million to expand a In announcing the credits, President Barack Obama polysilicon plant in Hemlock, Mich. In second place with highlighted December’s weak jobs report, saying, a $128.5 million credit is the North American branch of “Building a robust clean-energy sector is how we will Wacker Chemie, Hemlock’s German rival, for a polysili- create the jobs of the future—jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced.” He also identified energy secu- rity, combating climate change, and competition from TAX CREDITS China as driving the need for tax credits. Lion’s share of top five awards goes to producers of solar materials But the tax credits may not create permanent employ- TAX CREDIT ment, warns Robert Nolan, principal at NanoMarkets, ($ MILLIONS) PLANT LOCATION OUTPUT a technology analysis firm. “They’re taking tax money Hemlock Semiconductor $141.9 Hemlock, Mich. Polysilicon for solar cells and funneling it to businesses that don’t necessarily use Wacker Polysilicon 128.5 Charleston, Tenn. Polysilicon for solar cells DuPont 50.7 Circleville, Ohio Polyvinyl fl uoride solar fi lms capital in an efficient manner. What happens when the Novozymes 28.4 Blair, Neb. Enzymes for cellulosic ethanol money runs out?” he asks. He also sees a risk that the in- Dow Corning 27.3 Hemlock, Mich. Monosilane for thin solar fi lms centives could stimulate overcapacity in some industries.

NOTE: Top five chemical projects winning clean-energy tax credits. SOURCE: White House Market watchers say this is already a threat for polysili- con (C&EN, Nov. 9, 2009, page 28).—MELODY VOITH

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 8 JANUARY 18, 2010 NEWS OF THE WEEK

Arne Wittstock, Volkmar Zielasek, and FINDING GREEN Marcus Bäumer of Bremen University, in Germany; Harvard University’s Cyn- IN GOLD thia M. Friend; and coworkers, found MATERIALS: that at low temperature and 1 atm of Precious metal in oxygen, the nanoporous material cata- nanostructured form mediates lyzes oxidative coupling of methanol to oxidations selectively

yield methyl formate. That compound ARNE WITTSTOCK/BREMEN U is used commercially as a solvent and blowing agent and as a precursor to NOVEL NANOPOROUS gold material prepared formic acid and dimethylformamide. It by removing silver from a gold-silver alloy se- is prepared industrially in a process that A lectively catalyzes production of an industrially uses carbon monoxide, methanol, caus- important compound under mild conditions, accord- tic base, and metallic sodium. ing to a team of researchers in Germany and the U.S. At room temperature, the gold-catalyzed reaction Treatment with (Science 2010, 327, 319). The study further broadens is 100% selective but runs sluggishly, the team re- acid converts gold’s rapidly growing repertoire of catalytic reactions. ports. Raising the temperature to just 80 °C speeds up a silver-gold It also could help efforts to replace industrial chemical the reaction, increases methanol conversion several- alloy into the nanoporous gold processes with less hazardous and “greener” ones. fold, and only slightly reduces selectivity—producing catalyst shown in In just the past few years, gold’s reputation as an in- about 3% CO 2, according to the researchers. They this SEM image. ert noncatalytic metal has undergone a complete make- note that the catalyst remained stable and active dur- over, as several research groups have found a number of ing tests that ran continuously for periods ranging reactions—including various types of oxidations—that from days to weeks. In addition, on the basis of experi- are catalyzed by gold in nanostructured form. None- ments comparing a series of de-alloyed samples, the theless, commercial applications have been impeded team concludes that a small fraction of residual silver by gold’s slowness to dissociate oxygen—a key step enhances the gold catalyst’s reactivity by promoting in oxidations—and the tendency of nanoparticles to oxygen dissociation. agglomerate under typical reaction conditions. That “It is tempting to assume” that results from this type process quickly shortens the lifetimes of supported of gold catalyst with residual silver may be better than catalysts such as gold, which is usually dispersed on the those from pure gold catalysts used before in oxida- surfaces of solid oxides. tion reactions, Claus H. Christensen of Danish catalyst The new catalyst may provide a way around those manufacturer Haldor Topsøe and Jens K. Nørskov of problems. By treating a gold-silver alloy with nitric acid, the Technical University of Denmark note in a com- the researchers formed a stable, unsupported monolith- mentary about the work. Further research is needed, ic gold catalyst composed of a three-dimensional net- but this advance may move green gold catalysis closer work of nanoscale ligaments. The team, which includes to industrial applications, they say. —MITCH JACOBY

CHEMOTAXIS Acidic droplet solves maze at the maze entrance and low at its exit. Once in the maze, MAZE MANEUVERS In the scientific world, solv- ‘intelligent’ behavior,” Louisi- the droplet travels toward A droplet travels through ing mazes used to be the ana State University chemis- the lower pH, and in doing a maze with a pH gradient. dominion of experimental try professor John A. Pojman so, Grzybowski notes, it al- In the overlaid image, psychologists. Now chem- comments. “This approach ways finds the shortest path black drops show early ists are getting in on the may be useful as a pumping through the maze. times, red ones are later. action, but they’ve swapped method for microfluidics or Acid-base chemistry and Watch the droplet solving the traditional lab rat for a a way to convert chemical surface tension are what drive the maze at C&EN Online . drop of liquid. A team led energy to mechanical motion the drop. “The interfacial reac- by Northwestern University in small devices. I am eager tion between the acid in the chemistry professor Bartosz to see if they can generalize it drop and the base in the chan- A. Grzybowski has shown that to other types of gradients,” nel creates convection rolls or an acidic droplet can suc- he says. ‘swirls,’ ” Grzybowski explains. cessfully navigate a complex The droplet, composed of “The fluid mechanics plays maze ( J. Am. Chem. Soc., DOI: 2-hexyldecanoic acid in either out such that the swirl facing 10.1021/ja9076793). dichloromethane or mineral lower pH is more pronounced, “I personally find most oil, travels several centime- and so the drop is effectively exciting that such a simple ters through a maze with a pushed in this direction.”— system can exhibit apparently pH gradient. The pH is high BETHANY HALFORD J. AM. CHEM. SOC. SOC. CHEM. AM. J.

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 9 JANUARY 18, 2010 COVER STORY ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL OF ARCHITECT CONGRESSIONAL OUTLOOK FOR 2010 Climate change, chemical regulation reform will vie for CONGRESS’ ATTENTION GOVERNMENT & POLICY DEPARTMENT , C&EN WASHINGTON

AS THE SECOND SESSION of the 111th change legislation. The just-reached The following is C&EN’s annual analysis Congress gets under way this week, the Copenhagen Accord adds pressure on Con- of what to expect from Congress in the Democrats continue to control majorities gress to complete its work on a bill defining coming months. in the Senate and the House of Represen- U.S. policy in this area. tatives, as well as the White House. This Other important science and technology ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT. Legislators situation typically translates into lots of issues that were on the 2009 agenda will returning to the Capitol this week face a congressional action, but during this elec- be vying for Congress’ attention again this maze of climate-change legislative options. tion year, activity will be tempered. year. For example, Congress will continue To complicate matters, Congress is unlikely Topics familiar from the first session its debate on legislation setting perma- to even squarely face the issues because oth- will continue to dominate congressional nent chemical plant security regulations, er more pressing legislation will draw mem- activity. That means health care, Wall improving food and drug safety policies, bers’ attention far from the debates needed Street financial reform, and economic- and reforming the decades-old chemical to sort out climate-change proposals. stimulus-related legislation all will again regulation law. Most of the climate action, when it oc- compete for congressional attention. Being added to the agenda this year is the reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act, congressional staff point out. “We need cap and trade as a Such priorities will leave little time for road map to make sure resources members of Congress to dig into other big Administration priorities such as climate- are going to the right places.”

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 10 JANUARY 18, 2010 lone “no” vote came from Democrat Max S. vided over support for cap and trade but Baucus (Mont.), who objected to a process unified in opposition to EPA’s use of the selected by committee leadership to clear Clean Air Act to regulate CO 2 emissions. the bill without amendments (C&EN, Nov. Instead, ACC is seeking a one-year delay 9, 2009, page 13). to block EPA from developing these regu- Four committees have yet to act, and lations, which is similar to a recent pro- much will turn on Baucus’ Finance Com- posal by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). mittee, which will write the cap-and-trade She intends to seek passage of such an provisions. amendment early this year, congressional Also in November, Senate Majority staff say. The provisions are likely to be Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) announced added to legislation raising the debt ceil- that once the other four committees act, ing for the national government or may be he will merge all the committee-passed offered as a stand-alone resolution. bills into a single package and bring it to Meanwhile, several Democratic sena- the floor. However, all action has stopped, tors, primarily from states hard hit by and it appears unlikely that climate-change unemployment and led by Sens. Sher- legislation can garner the 60 votes needed rod C. Brown (Ohio), Maria E. Cantwell to become law. (Wash.), and Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Into this void has stepped the troika of have introduced bills to spur clean-energy Sens. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), Joseph technologies and jobs with or without a I. Lieberman (I-Conn.), and John F. Kerry climate-change bill. The bills are likely to (D-Mass.), who have introduced their own be fashioned into an overall jobs bill, which approach to climate-change legislation. Obama wants to see passed early in the With few details, the three issued a “con- year. The senators see a close tie between cept paper” to President Barack Obama on clean-energy technologies, jobs, and green- Dec. 10, 2009, on the eve of the Copenha- house gas reductions. gen climate-change talks. Others question the impact of this ap- curs, will be in the Senate, where climate- The four-page framework includes CO2 proach. Jonathan Lash, head of the envi- change legislation is currently stuck. reduction targets along the lines of the ronmental think-tank World Resources Last June, the House cleared its 1,200- House and Senate bills, as well as an en- Institute (WRI), speaking at a press brief- page climate bill (H.R. 2454) that included dorsement of cap-and-trade provisions. It ing, applauded the “positive clean-energy a cap-and-trade program that would also urges great support for nuclear energy, incentives” and the jobs that will be cre- reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 83% domestic oil production and refining, and ated through these bills, but said they are from 2005 levels by 2050. Although the bill coal use. It is unclear when an actual bill gives away enough pollution allowances so would be written or how these conflicting that utilities, chemical companies, and oth- provisions could be woven into a bill. How- er CO 2 emitters would feel little pain for a ever, the proposal by three senators coming decade, it still cleared by a thin seven-vote from opposite political poles has sparked margin (C&EN, July 6, 2009, page 8). interest that maybe there is a way to break Matters are much more intense in the the Senate’s climate-change logjam. Senate. Six committees have jurisdiction Surveying the landscape, the American over energy and climate-change provi- Chemistry Council (ACC), a chemical sions, and any controversial bill will need industry trade association, singled out 60 votes to overcome a likely filibuster. two areas of particular interest to chemi- In June 2009, one of those committees, cal companies: ensuring that adequate the Senate Energy & Natural Resources free CO 2 allowances are set aside to allow Committee, cleared S. 1462, which in- chemical companies to adjust to operating cludes a host of incentives to encourage in a carbon-constrained global environ- renewable energy development and ener- ment and making sure climate legislation gy efficiency. However, it does not touch does not result in greater use of natural gas, the thorny elements of climate change, which chemical companies use for feed- such as cap and trade or CO2 reduction stock and fuel. targets. The trade association also seeks to delay In November 2009, the Environment a push by the Environmental Protection & Public Works Committee cleared its cli- Agency to regulate CO2 under the Clean Air mate-change bill (S. 1733) on an 11 to 1 vote, Act, which the agency recently proposed with no Republican vote, and without a sin- (C&EN, Dec. 14, 2009, page 7). gle Republican attending the bill’s markup. ACC Chief Executive Officer Calvin M. The 950-page bill includes CO2 reduction Dooley noted during a December 2009 targets and other difficult provisions. The briefing that the chemical industry is di- CAPITOL THE OF ARCHITECT

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 11 JANUARY 18, 2010 COVER STORY

not enough. “This won’t get us the deep In the House, Reps. Henry A. Waxman two others, one owned by PPG and the other reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (D-Calif.), chairman of the Energy & Com- by Ashta Chemicals (C&EN, June 15, 2009, we will need over the next 40 years to fight merce Committee, and Bobby L. Rush (D- page 24). The Senate Environment & Public climate change,” he said. Ill.), chairman of that panel’s Commerce, Works Committee is likely to consider a He was supported by Charles O. Hol- Trade & Consumer Protection Subcom- similar bill, S. 1428, this year. liday Jr., former chairman and CEO of mittee, have said they plan a bill. An aide Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such DuPont, who also was attending the WRI for the committee tells C&EN that Wax- as bisphenol A (BPA), are also likely to get briefing. “We need cap and trade as a road man remains focused on the need for TSCA the attention of Congress this year. Lead- map to make sure resources are going to reform but has not yet decided when his ing the charge questioning the safety of the right places,” Holliday told C&EN. panel will work on legislation. BPA, a plastics chemical found in polycar- He predicts heated global competition In the Senate, Frank R. Lautenberg (D- bonate food and beverage containers and for clean energy. “China is a leader, and N.J.), who sponsored unsuccessful legisla- in the epoxy resin lining of most food and they see this coming,” he says. “When tion in 2005 and 2008 to transform TSCA beverage cans, is Rep. Edward J. Markey clean-energy markets open up, they are into the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act, has said (D-Mass.), chairman of the Energy & Com- going to beat us. Our advantage is we are he will introduce a similar bill soon (C&EN. merce Committee’s Energy & Environ- fast and entrepreneurial, but we need Dec. 7, 2009, page 10). Lautenberg chairs ment Subcommittee. market signals to move that way. This is the Senate Environment & Public Works The congressman successfully added a revolution, and it won’t happen for us Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics & En- an amendment to the Food Safety En- without a market.” vironmental Health. His efforts on TSCA hancement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2749), which reform have the support of Environment passed the House last year. That amend- CHEMICAL REGULATION. Congress is & Public Works Committee Chairwoman ment required the Food & Drug Adminis- expected to work on legislation this year to Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.). tration to reevaluate approved uses of BPA revamp the federal statute that governs the In other legislation, bills are pending in in food and beverage containers by the manufacture of chemicals. That law is the the House and Senate that would directly end of 2009 (C&EN, Aug. 10, 2009, page 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). impact four chemical plants that use mer- 24). However, because the bill did not The Obama Administration is calling for cury cells to produce chlorine, sodium clear the Senate, the BPA review did not reform of TSCA, and in September 2009, hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide. Al- happen. Markey is expected to introduce it laid out concepts that it wants Congress ready approved by the Energy & Commerce new legislation related to BPA and other to incorporate in a recast version of the Committee and awaiting a vote in the full endocrine disrupters early this year. chemical control law (C&EN, Oct. 5, 2009, House is H.R. 2190, which would outlaw the Adding to the congressional interest in page 9). use of mercury in chlor-alkali production. BPA is the fact that FDA—the agency re- Several major chemical industry trade Designed to cut mercury pollution, the mea- sponsible for monitoring the safety of BPA organizations support modernization of sure targets two facilities owned by Olin and in food and beverage containers—failed to TSCA, including ACC, the Soap & Detergent Association, and the Consumer Specialty Products As- sociation. Meanwhile, a growing number of environmental and health groups and health care companies are calling for revision of TSCA. States are jumping on the TSCA reform bandwagon, too, with THE CAPITOL OF ARCHITECT 13 calling for Congress to update the law. The various factions generally agree on the need to revamp TSCA and endorse the idea that commer- cial chemicals need safety assess- ments of their various uses. But they diverge on which standards EPA should employ to determine safety, primarily over whether the agency should use a precautionary rather than risk-based approach. In 2009, the House and Senate held hearings on the need for TSCA reform. Although several members of Congress have shown interest in a bill to update TSCA, none has introduced legislation.

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 12 JANUARY 18, 2010 meet its self-set deadline of Nov. 30, 2009, 2009, would increase for evaluating BPA’s safety. Congress is DHS’s authority to likely to put pressure on FDA to speed up regulate security its review. practices at chemical

Legislation to address concerns about facilities and give EPA PHOTOGRAPHY CUTTS PETER intersex fish in the nation’s rivers and new power to protect a dramatic rise in hormone-related dis- wastewater treatment orders in people will also see action this plants and drinking year. This activity is prompted by the water facilities. introduction of the Endocrine Disrup- In a victory for the tion Prevention Act of 2009 (H.R. 4190, S. environmental lobby, 2828) last month by Rep. James P. Moran chemical-handling Jr. (D-Va.) and Sen. Kerry (C&EN, Dec. 14, facilities would be 2009, page 28). required to assess The bill authorizes the National Insti- whether a switch to tute of Environmental Health Sciences to alternative processes or chemicals could a very high level of safety against an act of develop a new research program and estab- limit the potential consequences of a ter- terrorism,” Dooley adds. “We don’t think lish an independent panel of scientists to rorist attack. Facilities in the top two of that’s going to be as successful with man- prioritize chemicals for screening as endo- four risk-based tiers could be required by datory authority vested in DHS.” crine disrupters. It addresses inadequacies DHS to implement the safer technology if in EPA’s Endocrine Disrupter Screening it is technically feasible, is cost-effective, CHEMICAL WEAPONS. After years of Program, which officially launched in and lowers the risk at the facility while not delay, the destruction of the nation’s stock- October 2009 after more than a decade of shifting it to other locations in the supply pile of chemical weapons is getting a push delays (C&EN, Oct. 26, 2009, page 7). chain. from the Obama Administration. Respond- Hearings on endocrine disrupters are With attention now moving to the ing to a request by the Defense Depart- expected this year in the House Energy & Senate, an aide to Homeland Security & ment, Congress in late December approved Commerce Committee and Senate Health, Governmental Affairs Committee Chair- a 29% increase in fiscal 2010 funding for Education, Labor & Pensions Committee. man Lieberman says a hearing on chemical the Army’s Assembled Chemical Weapons security is likely to be held early in the year. Alternatives (ACWA) program, to $550.2 HOMELAND SECURITY. Congress is Lieberman has indicated that he hopes million. under pressure to pass permanent chemi- to craft a bipartisan bill with the commit- The money will be used to build chemi- cal plant security legislation this year. The tee’s ranking Republican, Susan M. Collins cal neutralization plants at the Pueblo current regulatory program administered (Maine), but the two differ sharply on the Chemical Depot in Colorado and the Blue by the Department of Homeland Security IST requirement. Lieberman favors it, and Grass Army Depot in Kentucky, two of the (DHS)—the Chemical Facility Anti-Terror- Collins does not. six military installations where the obso- ism Standards—will expire on Oct. 4. In addition, Sen. Lautenberg has con- lete weapons are stored. Stockpiles are The skirmishing began last year, with firmed that he also plans to propose com- being incinerated at the other four sites in the primary question being whether to au- prehensive chemical security legislation. Alabama, Arkansas, Oregon, and Utah. thorize DHS to require companies to eval- Last month, on the 25th anniversary of the Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Rep. uate and in some cases adopt so-called gas leak in Bhopal, India, that killed 3,500 Ben Chandler III (D-Ky.) led the effort to inherently safer technology (IST), such people, Lautenberg issued a statement secure the increased funding to allow ac- as using different chemicals or processes saying the tragedy “serves as a warning celeration of the demilitarization project in to reduce the potential damage that a ter- that a chemical disaster or attack could Kentucky. Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and rorist attack on a chemical facility could kill thousands of Americans. We have a Rep. John T. Salazar (D-Colo.) undertook cause. responsibility to reduce the use of danger- similar efforts for the disposal project in The industry has endorsed IST as a de- ous chemicals and keep our families and Colorado. sign concept for the construction of new communities safe from potential attacks Despite the substantial funding in- or modified plants but adamantly opposes against these facilities.” crease, the Pentagon does not expect to giving the federal government authority ACC’s Dooley says the industry will eliminate all of its chemical weapons until to require the retrofit of existing facilities continue to oppose efforts “to give DHS the 2021, well beyond the 2012 deadline set by to meet recommendations with which the authority to mandate the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, an facility owners may not agree. But environ- a specific technology that [the department] international treaty that requires full de- mental groups such as Greenpeace and the alone could determine is inherently safer. struction of the U.S. chemical arsenal. The think-tank Center for American Progress We think that is too great of an intrusion of military has destroyed about 60% of the argue that the only certain way to protect government into the responsibilities of the stockpile, which includes VX, GB (sarin), communities is to eliminate the possibility private sector, which has the expertise and and mustard agent produced before the of a toxic release by converting facilities to the capacity to make those determinations.” weapons program was terminated 40 years safer, more secure technologies. A process is needed to ensure that gov- ago. The Chemical & Water Security Act ernment and industry “collaborate in put- Under the Pentagon’s plan, destruction (H.R. 2868) passed by the House on Nov. 6, ting together a security plan that achieves of the 523 tons of mustard agent and sarin

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 13 JANUARY 18, 2010 COVER STORY

The addition of “new and expanded mechanisms for the administrative reexamination of patents … are quite problematic.” and VX nerve agents stored at Blue Grass and to access records and laboratory data. ted to lowering drug prices for Americans is scheduled to begin in 2018 and finish in It also increases the frequency of FDA and has said it will resolve any safety issues 2021. Destruction of 2,600 tons of mustard inspections at high-risk food facilities and regarding imported drugs with FDA. Hear- blister agent held at Pueblo is expected to requires food facilities to pay a $500 fee an- ings on drug importation and safety are be completed in 2017. nually to help pay for inspections. The bill likely once work on the health care bill is Funding for the ACWA program this passed with strong bipartisan support in complete. year is up from $427.5 million in fiscal 2009, July 2009. $407.1 million in fiscal 2008, and $349.2 This past November, the Senate Health, ECONOMY & BUDGET. A multi-billion- million in fiscal 2007. “This latest increase Education, Labor & Pensions Commit- dollar tax credit that companies with big is further proof that Congress understands tee passed similar legislation: the FDA R&D budgets depend on expired at the the need to provide adequate funding for Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510), end of 2009, but lawmakers have vowed this project,” says Craig Williams, cochair sponsored by Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D- to retroactively renew the incentive this of the Chemical Weapons Working Group, Ill.) (C&EN, Nov. 23, 2009, page 26). Like year. a watchdog group in Berea, Ky. the House bill, the Senate bill emphasizes The 20% R&D credit, worth $7 billion prevention of food-borne illness. One dif- in annual tax savings to companies, fell by FOOD & DRUG SAFETY. Despite other ference between the bills is that the Senate the wayside and expired on Dec. 31. The pressing issues expected to occupy Con- version does not include an annual regis- House included a one-year extension of the gress, 2010 will be the year for food safety tration fee for food facilities. credit in H.R. 4213, the Tax Extenders Act, reform, observers predict. Pressure to The Senate is expected to vote on the bill which it passed on Dec. 9, 2009, by a vote of early in 2010. Sen. 241-181. But the Senate got bogged down on Tom Harkin (D- sweeping health care legislation and was Iowa), chairman of unable to push through the tax package by the Health, Educa- the end of the year. tion, Labor & Pen- More than 300 companies, includ- sions Committee, ing Dow Chemical, DuPont, Pfizer, and said in a statement GlaxoSmithKline, have been urging law- that he is “hopeful makers to broaden the credit and make ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL OF ARCHITECT that the issue will it permanent. Companies argue that come to the Senate short-term extensions of the credit fail to floor very soon.” provide firms with the certainty they need Supporting the to invest in long-term research projects. cause is the fact that The R&D Credit Coalition, a Washington, the President has D.C.-based trade group, estimates the made food safety credit is equal to a federal subsidy of 6 a top priority for cents for every dollar a company spends his Administration on research in the U.S. and has said that he In a joint statement on Dec. 22, 2009, supports H.R. 2749. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Bau- In March 2009, cus and ranking member Charles E. Grass- Obama created a ley (R-Iowa) promised to move legislation modernize U.S. food safety laws has been Food Safety Working Group to modernize in early 2010 to extend the R&D credit and mounting for years, following several high- and enforce food safety laws and coordi- other expired tax breaks for businesses and profile outbreaks involving contaminated nate food safety measures across the fed- individuals “without a gap in coverage.” peanuts, peppers, spinach, and other food eral government. “Although the House and Senate were products. Drug safety is also likely to come be- unable to come to agreement on a package Last year, the House passed legislation fore Congress this year. During the health to extend several expiring tax provisions that would overhaul how FDA regulates care debate last December, a group of before Congress adjourned, these mea- food safety, but it stalled in the Senate, tak- senators tried to attach an amendment sures must be addressed as soon as pos- ing a back seat to health care reform. to the health care bill that would have al- sible,” the senators said. “Expiration of The Food Safety Enhancement Act of lowed lower priced prescription drugs to these provisions makes it difficult for tax- 2009 (H.R. 2749), sponsored by Rep. John be imported into the U.S. from Canada payers to fully and effectively realize the D. Dingell (D-Mich.), requires all food and other countries. The amendment intended benefits by creating uncertainty facilities to develop a hazard analysis and failed because of concerns from FDA and and complexity in the tax law.” risk-based preventive control plan. The bill others about drug safety. Baucus and Grassley vowed to take up gives FDA the authority to order a recall The Obama Administration is commit- legislation that provides “a seamless exten-

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 14 JANUARY 18, 2010 sion of these provisions as quickly as pos- Brownback (R-Kan.) and 11 other Republi- resulting costs and delays will cripple in- sible in the new year.” The credit has lapsed cans asserted that S. 515 would harm small novation and thwart start-up investments numerous times since it was created by businesses, universities, and individual in- in companies that rely on patents for their Congress in 1981 and then been extended ventors. Although the bill has been “greatly survival.” after expiration, sometimes retroactively. improved” since its introduction in March The House is not expected to act until the 2009, especially with regard to the dam- Senate resolves its lingering disagreements. PATENT REFORM. Congress could not ages provision, the senators wrote that the reach consensus on how to reform the na- addition of “new and expanded mecha- SCIENCE POLICY. The soon-to-be-re- tion’s patent law in 2009, but lawmakers nisms for the administrative reexamina- leased Obama plan for the National Aero- will try again this year. The Senate Judiciary tion of patents … are quite problematic.” nautics & Space Administration’s human Committee approved the Patent Reform Act The so-called postgrant review provi- exploration program will certainly result (S. 515) last April; the bill attempts to end the sions would allow anyone to challenge the in numerous hearings in both the House long-standing dispute between technology validity of a patent for any reason within and Senate. Based on a report released last companies and the pharmaceutical industry the first 12 months after it is issued by the fall of a blue-ribbon panel chaired by Nor- over whether damages for patent infringe- patent office, says Renee Kaswan, founder man R. Augustine, the President’s vision is ment should be reduced. A similar measure, of IP Advocate, a group that represents the expected to address the future of the space H.R. 1260, is pending in the House. interests of academic inventors. shuttle, the future of the International High-tech firms, which face a flood of pat- “This really serves the big players at Space Station, and the locations for future ent infringement lawsuits, have been urging the expense of small-business patentees,” space exploration missions (C&EN, Nov. 2, lawmakers to limit the amount of money Kaswan says. “It is an open invitation for 2009, page 22). juries may award in such cases. But drug, procedural challenges by incumbent firms Congress is also likely to take up legisla- biotech, and manufacturing companies say to impede disruptive innovations in order tion that promotes the development of the threat of high damages is needed to deter to protect their established markets. The commercially successful and safe nano- infringement and protect their in- technologies. The House passed tellectual property. its version (H.R. 554) of the In a bid to bridge the gap, Sens. Reauthorization of the National Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), Dianne Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Arlen last year, but the bill (S. 1482) has Specter (D-Pa.) agreed on compro- yet to move in the Senate. Estab- mise language that instructs judges lished in 2001, NNI coordinates to act as gatekeepers and provide BOHATY/C&EN ROCHELLE nanotechnology research and juries with guidance on what fac- development among 25 federal tors they should consider in deter- agencies. Both bills would require mining damage awards based on a strategic plan for environmen- existing case law. tal, health, and safety (EHS) The gatekeeper concept has research for nanoscale materials, been endorsed by several major but they do not specify how much stakeholders, including the Co- federal agencies should spend on alition for 21st Century Patent EHS research. Reform, a broad group of nearly House staffers say they expect 50 global corporations, such as Eli the Senate to clear the bill this Lilly & Co., Pfizer, and Novartis. year. “We are hoping to see a bill The group calls the compromise “a in the Senate in early 2010 that we major breakthrough” that should can bring to conference and bring move the bill “toward consensus to the President’s desk sometime and, hopefully, ultimate enactment before summer,” says Dahlia by the Congress.” Sokolov, a congressional staffer Leahy, who chairs the Judiciary with the House Committee on Committee and is one of patent re- Science & Technology. form’s biggest congressional pro- Sokolov says she has every ponents, says the deal on damages reason to believe that the Obama has “paved the way for success Administration is placing a much that will benefit all inventors and higher importance on EHS re- innovators.” But at least a dozen search than the previous Admin- Republican senators believe the istration because of the potential legislation “needs additional work economic impact should some- before it is brought to the floor” thing go wrong. Therefore, the for a vote. President is expected to sign In a recent letter to Senate the bill once it is passed by Majority Leader Reid, Sen. Sam Congress. ■

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 15 JANUARY 18, 2010 BUSINESS CONCENTRATES

UOP AWARDED GRANT FOR BIOFUEL PLANT LONZA STREAMLINES

The Department of Energy has awarded a MANUFACTURING $25 million grant to Honeywell’s UOP unit to build a cellulosic biofuel demonstration Lonza is restructuring operations because of economic pressures and facility. The plant is scheduled to begin cost reductions at its pharmaceutical customers. This year, the Swiss production in 2014 in Kapolei, Hawaii. company will close its Conshohocken, Pa., active pharmaceutical ingredi- Feedstocks will include forestry and agri- ents facility; a vitamin K-3 plant in Shawinigan, Quebec; and a warehouse cultural wastes, pulp and paper, algae, and and offices for its biosciences business in Wokingham, England. The clo- dedicated energy crops. The conversion sures will impact 175 employees and cost about $140 million. Lonza ex- technology, developed by Ottawa, Ontario- pects the changes to achieve about 40% of the $60 million to $80 million based Ensyn, requires rapidly heating the in annual cost savings it earmarked in October 2009; the remainder will biomass at ambient pressure to generate be achieved through routine cost-cutting measures, Chief Financial Of- liquid pyrolysis oil. The oil will be upgraded ficer Toralf Haag says. Lonza will transfer customer projects and activities to transportation fuels using technology from the three closed locations to other sites. Meanwhile, it will continue developed by UOP and DOE. —MV to build up capabilities at its new site in Nansha, China. “The closure of the three sites will help to optimize our global operational network and fur- ther increase the competitiveness for our customers,” CEO Stefan Borgas TESSENDERLO GETS says. “The reengineering project is a key element in our endeavor to bring NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE Lonza back to a sustainable growth.”—AMT Belgian specialty chemical maker Tessen- derlo has named Frank Coenen, 50, as CEO, effective on Jan. 15. He replaces Gé- Consultants, sold several Iranian compa- used to add, edit, or delete rard Marchand, 66, who led the firm since nies software designed to help locate the plant genes. It will 1987. Coenen joined Tessenderlo in 2006 best prices for chemicals. In addition to the also support the prison term, the judge ordered Amirnazmi effort with zinc- to pay an $81,000 fine, forfeit $17,000 to finger reagents a bank he defrauded, and serve five years and scientific ex- of probation following his release from pertise. Scientists att ththee K TESSENDERLO prison. —MSR Danforth Center recentlycently sequenced the cassava genome. According to the center, ISTOCK one-third of the African cassava crop is lost MONSANTO’S SOYBEANS to viral diseases.—MV ATTRACT DOJ ATTENTION

Monsanto says it is cooperating with a FIRMS TO SEQUENCE Department of Justice investigation of its JATROPHA GENOME Coenen soybean traits business. Both DOJ and the Department of Agriculture are looking into Plant science firm SG Biofuels has formed and became chief operating officer last possible anticompetitive behavior by Mon- an alliance with biotechnology equipment year. He previously held management posi- santo in the seed industry. The company’s company Life Technologies to sequence tions with Cytec Industries and UCB.—MM Roundup Ready soybean—the world’s the jatropha shrub genome. Jatropha seeds first genetically modified seed—will lose contain high amounts of an inedible oil patent protection in 2014. In December that can be converted into biodiesel, jet CHEMICAL ENGINEER 2009, Monsanto assured its customers that fuel, and chemical feedstocks. The partners SENTENCED TO PRISON it would continue to make the soybeans will use the genetic information to develop available after the patent expires.—MV region-specific cultivars and increase A federal judge has sentenced chemical plant yield. In addition, Life Technolo- engineer Ali Amirnazmi to four years in gies will become a strategic partner in SG prison for violating U.S. trade sanctions DOW AGROSCIENCES Biofuels.—MV against Iran. A jury in the U.S. District TO BOLSTER CASSAVA Court for the Eastern District of Pennsyl- vania convicted Amirnazmi in February Dow AgroSciences and the Donald Dan- CEREPLAST SEEKS 2009 of conspiracy, lying to federal au- forth Plant Science Center will collaborate MAJOR LISTING thorities, and violating the International to improve the nutritional value and viral Emergency Economic Powers Act. The resistance of cassava, the root crop also Biobased plastics compounder Cere- government had charged that Amirnazmi, known as manioc or yuca. Dow will donate plast is seeking to list its stock on a major owner of Pennsylvania-based TranTech its Exzact Precision Technology tool kit exchange, such as the American Stock

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 16 JANUARY 18, 2010 BUSINESS CONCENTRATES

Exchange or NASDAQ. Currently, the worldwide, will retain approximately 30 milestone payments. Separately, Targacept company has penny stock traded on the workers from the Shrewsbury site respon- has received its first payment of $200 mil- Over-The-Counter Bulletin Board. To sible for ongoing operations, some of whom lion under a collaborative agreement with prepare for such a move, the company will will be relocated to other facilities.—RM AstraZeneca. The partners are planning to implement a 1-for-40 reverse stock split, begin Phase III trials of Targacept’s anti- is hiring an independent director, and has depressant therapy, TC-5214, in mid-2010. retained a law firm to help with the paper- EVOTEC TO RESEARCH Targacept could receive more than $1 bil- work. Separately, Cereplast is closing down HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE lion more in potential milestone payments, manufacturing and R&D operations at its though it must give an undisclosed per- Hawthorne, Calif., headquarters, mov- Evotec and the nonprofit CHDI Founda- centage to the University of South Florida ing into smaller offices, and transferring tion have extended a collaboration aimed Research Foundation. —AMT equipment to its Seymour, Ind., site. —AHT at finding treatments for Huntington’s disease, a brain disorder that leads to cog- nitive and physical impairments. Under the GALAPAGOS DEALS WITH CHARLES RIVER CLOSES new deal, Evotec will get up to $37.5 million ROCHE, TB ALLIANCE PRECLINICAL FACILITY in research funding over the next three years. Evotec, a German small-molecule Galapagos, the Belgian biotech company, Charles River Laboratories will close its drug discovery firm, has been working with and Roche have signed a drug-development preclinical services facility in Shrewsbury, CHDI since 2006. CHDI also has discovery agreement to work on potential therapies Mass., eliminating 300 jobs. “This decision collaborations with Albany Molecular Re- for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. comes after a challenging year in which the search and Galapagos.—MM Under the deal, Galapagos will employ its consolidation of the biopharmaceutical target discovery platform and assume re- industry,industry, the slowdown in R&D efforts, and sponsibility for discovery and development thethe finafinancialn constraints for biotechnology PHARMA FIRMS of new small-molecule candidates. Gala- companiescompani resulted in softness in market MAKE PAYOUTS pagos has received a $9 million research demanddema for our services,” says James C. access payment. Development, regulatory, Foster,Fost Charles River’s CEO. The com- GlaxoSmithKline has exercised an option and commercial milestones could amount panypan estimates the move will reduce with ChemoCentryx to license Traficet- to $573 million. Meanwhile, BioFocus, the operatingo costs by $20 million in EN, a small-molecule CCR9 chemokine re- services division of Galapagos, has signed a 2010,2 and expects associated charg- ceptor antagonist targeting inflammatory three-year agreement to manage the chem- ese of $7 million. The company, bowel diseases. In exchange, ChemoCen- ical library collection of the Global Alliance whichw has about 8,000 employees tryx will get $35 million and possible future for TB Drug Development. —RM

BUSINESS vitreous frit system that build a new PCC plant in performance of biogas LIFE TECHNOLOGIES ROUNDUP can hermetically seal the nearby Superior to supply plants. will acquire AcroMetrix, a solar cells. NewPage. Benicia, Calif.-based pro- LANZHOU Petrochemi- MANNKIND CORP. has vider of molecular and se- cal suffered an explosion DUPONT and BASF AIR LIQUIDE and the been told by FDA that a rological diagnostic qual- at its facility in the north- have settled a patent oil company Total have review of the company’s ity-control products. The west Chinese province of infringement dispute inaugurated a joint car- rapid-acting inhaled products are designed for Gansu, killing six. The unit, that started in June bon capture and storage insulin therapy Afrezza use in clinical laboratories, a subsidiary of the state- 2009 when they sued project in Lacq, France. has been delayed. The blood screening centers, owned China National each other over biotech- Air Liquide is supplying agency says it hasn’t and in vitro diagnostic Petroleum, said in a state- nology traits, including technology that replaces completed the inspection manufacturing. ment that static electric- ones providing toler- boiler air with pure oxy- of MannKind’s insulin ity may have ignited flam- ance to herbicides that gen to concentrate CO2 supplier, Organon, a sub- PHARMARON Hold- mable gas that had leaked inhibit the plant enzyme in the fumes. The CO2 is sidiary of Merck & Co. ings, in Irvine, Calif., has from a tank. acetolactate synthase. then transported to the acquired Bridge Labora- The two firms are cross- Rousse geological storage TAKASAGO Fine Chemi- tories’ contract services FERRO ELECTRONIC licensing patents and site and injected into a cals has extended an operation in Beijing for Materials has received dismissing the claims. 4,500-meter-deep former agreement that gives an undisclosed sum, a $1 million grant from natural gas reservoir. Merck & Co. broader ac- adding Good Labora- the Ohio Department of MINERALS Technologies cess to Takasago’s ligands tory Practice-compliant Development to engineer has signed a long-term DSM has made an eq- and catalysts. Merck and toxicology services to a new sealing system for agreement to supply up uity investment in Bio- Takasago scientists re- its contract services in thin-film solar cells. The to 70,000 tons per year process Control, a Swed- cently published a paper China. Bridge’s U.S. op- company will work with of precipitated calcium ish biogas processes describing an efficient erations in Gaithersburg, the Edison Welding Insti- carbonate for use in pa- services provider. DSM’s approach for synthesiz- Md., were acquired last tute, StrateNexus Tech- permaking at NewPage’s Biogas unit will also co- ing unprotected ß-amino month in a management nologies, and Ohio State Duluth, Minn., paper mill. operate with Bioprocess amides ( J. Am. Chem. buyout that formed Avan- University to develop a Minerals Technologies will Control to improve the Soc. 2009, 131, 11316). za Laboratories.

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 17 JANUARY 18, 2010 BUSINESS ISTOCK ISTOCK

BUILDER’S CHOICE involves heating lime Most Chinese and coal-derived PVC is used in the construction coke in an electric industry. furnace at a tem- perature of 2,000 °C to obtain calcium carbide. Acetylene is generated by the hydrolysis of this calcium carbide. This early part of the process is labor intensive, requires a lot of energy, and generates vast quantities of a watery calcium hydroxide slag. With the use of a catalyst that is usually based on mercuric chloride, the acetylene is then reacted with anhydrous hydrogen chloride to produce vinyl chloride. Both methods for making PVC were in- vented in the early-20th century. Calcium carbide even dominated until the 1960s, when ethylene became the preferred start- CHINA’S VENERABLE ing material in most of the world. The calcium carbide route has a number VINYL PROCESS of flaws that explain why it has mostly been replaced. Yet because China is such a big Replaced in most of the world, the business partner, chemical industry execu- tives refuse to be quoted speaking critically CALCIUM CARBIDE ROUTE to PVC gains ground in China of the practice. JEAN-FRANÇOIS TREMBLAY , C&EN HONG KONG An executive at a major producer of PVC, who requested anonymity because China is a big market for his company, tells ACETYLENE, COKE, and calcium carbide it had a production capacity of 19 million C&EN that PVC made by the carbide route are no longer part of the vocabulary of metric tons, about 80% of which was based is of inferior quality. “There are a lot of chemists and chemical engineers working at on the carbide route. Chemical Market impurities,” he says. “It can be used in con- most modern industrial sites. But in China, Associates Inc. (CMAI), a market research struction materials, such as in pipes, but these materials, dating back to the early firm, estimates that China represents one- you can’t make film from it.” Others say the days of the chemical industry, are still wide- third of the world’s PVC capacity. poor quality is the result of inferior polym- ly used to manufacture polyvinyl chloride. “If you look at the expansion of facilities erization techniques and is unrelated to the Making an anachronism contemporary, in China in the past four to five years, it’s carbide process. Chinese firms are building new, larger scale been mostly plants featuring the carbide facilities to produce vinyl from calcium route,” says Eddie Kok, Asian director for CALCIUM CARBIDE production requires carbide, a process that most of the world chlor-alkali and vinyls at CMAI. “There’s huge amounts of power, the executive replaced with a petrochemical one decades little ethylene from the Chinese crackers further explains, but that issue has been ago. The method has been widely faulted available for making PVC because it’s often largely overcome in China. “They can make for using too much energy and creating too allocated to more profitable products.” cheap electricity with all the coal they much waste, but Chinese firms are confi- PVC, one of the world’s most widely have,” he says. Indeed, most of the PVC dent they will be able to modernize it. used plastics, can basically be made in two plants in China that employ the calcium China has valid economic reasons for ways. The petrochemical route involves carbide route are located near coal mines, sticking with the calcium carbide route to the chlorination of ethylene to yield eth- and some house large on-site generators. PVC, industry observers say. The country ylene dichloride, which is then cracked to But by far the biggest flaw in the carbide is endowed with the vast coal and lime generate vinyl chloride. Vinyl chloride is route is its negative environmental impact. resources necessary for the production of polymerized into PVC. Implementing this First of all, there is all the calcium hydrox- calcium carbide. In contrast, it does not method in an economically viable fashion ide slag to deal with. “It’s the biggest prob- have the abundant supply of ethylene re- typically requires that a chlorine plant be lem,” the PVC executive says. His Chinese quired for making PVC via the petrochemi- set up in the vicinity of an ethylene cracker. competitors, he says, endeavor to use the cal route that the rest of the world uses. The calcium carbide route used in China slag in cement production and are encour- China is a major producer and consumer of PVC. According to figures C&EN ob- tained from a major international PVC pro- By far the biggest flaw in the carbide route ducer, the country consumed nearly 10 mil- lion metric tons of PVC in 2009. That year, is its negative environmental impact.

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 18 JANUARY 18, 2010 aged to do so by government policies. But gradual vaporization of mercuric chloride. nonmercury catalysts. The British catalyst the amount of slag yielded in the process Some of the compound goes into the raw maker Johnson Matthey has started com- is huge—as much as the calcium carbide vinyl, from which it must be removed along mercialization of such catalysts in tandem generated—and it’s unlikely that all of it with other impurities. After a period of with the engineering firm Akers Solutions. can be turned into cement. roughly six months, the official says, the Neither firm responded to C&EN’s re- An additional environmental issue with catalyst becomes depleted of mercuric quests for comment before press time. the calcium carbide route is the use of mer- chloride and must be replaced. Between 2009 and 2013, Chinese pro- curic chloride catalysts to turn acetylene ducers of PVC will boost their capacity 20%, into vinyl. There is much concern world- THE RESPONSIBILITY for recovering de- to 24 million metric tons per year, mostly by wide over the release of mercury com- pleted catalyst lies with catalyst suppliers, building more plants that will employ the pounds into the environment. Representa- according to Kok. “The producers say that carbide route, according to figures C&EN tives of environmental protection bureaus whoever supplied the catalyst has to take obtained from a major international resin from several countries have met repeatedly it back,” he says. Regulatory enforcement manufacturer. Kok says the new plants will with Chinese government officials and ex- of this aspect of PVC production in China likely be able to hold their own against for- ecutives at Chinese vinyl-producing firms is in the process of being strengthened, he eign producers in terms of price. in recent years to discuss their concerns. believes. None of the four Chinese PVC “It’s the price of ethylene that really One official at a non-Chinese environ- producers contacted by C&EN responded determines whether calcium carbide-route mental protection agency, who asked not to to requests for comment. PVC is competitive,” he says. “As long as oil be named, tells C&EN that “the Chinese vi- When they appear at events where the prices are high, ethylene prices are high— nyl industry may well be doing a good job of fate of mercury is discussed, top managers and the carbide route has a position in the recovering the residue of mercuric chloride in the Chinese vinyl industry acknowledge industry.” remaining within the depleted catalyst.” that even if spent mercury catalyst is prop- Even if many engineers consider it an The environmental official estimates erly recovered, it would be better not to use oddity, Kok says, China’s devotion to PVC that mercuric chloride represents up to it in the first place. Speaking at a confer- via the calcium carbide route is here to stay. 10% of the fresh catalyst by weight; the rest ence two years ago, Li Jun, a representative “They’re building new plants,” he points of the catalyst is mainly carbon. Inside a from the China Chlor-Alkali Industry Asso- out. “I don’t see it going away for at least 20 reactor vessel, he explains, heat causes a ciation, noted the existence of research on years.” ■

Welcome to the world of insights

Instrumental Analysis l Laboratory Technology l Biotechnology l analytica Conference Take advantage of analytica as a platform for business and networking. The leading international trade fair will give you a com- prehensive overview of the products and solutions on the market. Discover the trends and innovations of the future. Additional information: U.S. Offi ce analytica 2010 Ms. Carolin Schuetze, Tel. 212-974-1880 [email protected] www.analytica.de/en

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 19 JANUARY 18, 2010 BUSINESS

says, so that “there could be no hard feel- ings about our return to silicones.” The GELEST PUSHES AHEAD firm built a significant business supplying pharmaceutical intermediates, custom FINDS ITS NICHE Organometallics specialist just silica, silanes for chemical separation and below the radar of much larger competitors diagnostic markets, and silicon-based ma- terials for optics applications. Production of Roche’s flu treatment GELEST, a specialist in organosilicones recently commissioned new equipment to Tamiflu uses Gelest intermediates. Microar- and metal organics, has a knack for sur- modify substrates for cosmetics and indus- rays from life sciences firm Affymetrix vival. A plucky maker of custom chemicals trial fillers in an 8,000-sq-ft stand-alone contain Gelest’s silanes to complex DNA with 100 employees and annual sales in the manufacturing suite. The suite was added for gene identification. Some contact lens double-digit millions, it has found a niche two years ago as part of a project that dou- makers use Gelest’s reactive monomers and supplying high-value intermediates in bled capacity with new reactors. silicone macromers as starting materials. quantities that barely register on the radar A large part of the recently commis- Although Gelest has had its share of suc- of multi-billion-dollar competitors such sioned equipment will provide products cesses, it has experienced setbacks, too. An as Dow Corning, Momentive Performance and services for personal care industry explosion and fire destroyed the firm’s first Materials, and Wacker Chemie. customers, allowing Gelest, for instance, location, in Tullytown, Pa., in 2001. Silicon-based materials make up about to supply silane-treated pigments for skin Fortunately, the company was already 85% of sales and have been the primary care formulations. The firm hopes to ex- planning the Morrisville site and was able to engine of Gelest’s growth in recent years. pand its business with cosmetic industry start building it in 2002. Silicones manager But metal organic derivatives, used in elec- customers, explains Matt Edison, manager Edison, a mechanical engineer, was hired to tronic applications, are now on the rise at of silicones and performance products. help design the manufacturing facility and the management-owned firm. As important as silicon-based materials warehouse. The buildings boast 14-inch- Earlier this month, are to Gelest today, thick concrete walls at critical locations and Gelest arranged it started in 1991 as a ventilation system that keeps air hazards to sell high-purity G ELEST a maker of metal at bay. To date, the firm has invested about germane (GeH4 ) organic compounds, $25 million in the Morrisville site. for electronics and mostly for electron- solar-cell applications ics makers. Barry Ar- SILICON SPECIALISTS like Gelest are exclusively through kles, the firm’s presi- “good at capturing high-value, low-volume Matheson Tri-Gas, dent, notes that the business,” notes Ray Will, a senior con- the U.S. subsidiary of name Gelest is made sultant at business research publisher Japanese industrial up of the first two SRI Consulting. Big firms typically have letters of germanium, more resources they can put into devel- TALL ORDER A worker lead, and stannate. oping highly sophisticated products. But unloads a silane Arkles has a Ph.D. the smaller silicone specialists, such as reducing agent for use in pharmaceutical in biochemistry from Carpinteria, Calif.-based NuSil Technology synthesis. Temple University and Bristol, Pa.-based United Chemical and holds about 65 Technologies, often do very well with their patents, most cover- customized approaches, Will says. ing silicones, silanes, What Gelest also has going for it is a gas major Taiyo Nip- and metal organic well-known catalog containing about 3,000 pon Sanso. The deal, materials. Earlier compounds, most of which are stored at says Joel Zazyczny, in his career, Arkles the Morrisville site. Arkles says the catalog Gelest’s business owned a silicones helps customers open discussions with manager for silanes catalog company Gerald Larson, vice president of research and metal organics, also includes plans for called Petrarch Systems. He sold it in 1985 and a former Petrarch employee, and his a joint manufacturing operation. to a predecessor of the German firm Hüls 20-member research staff. Germane is a colorless gas used to make and became a Hüls vice president. But he Researchers can then tweak catalog mol- photovoltaic reflective coatings, diodes, missed the day-to-day customer interaction ecules for customers’ specific needs and and semiconductors that are more effi- and intimacy with technology that he had at custom-make small quantities. For bigger cient than their silicon-based cousins. The a smaller firm, he says, and decided to leave volumes, the Morrisville plant can generate partners also plan to develop other germa- Hüls together with Kevin King, now Gelest’s quantities from 20 to 80 tons, depending nium-based molecules for electronics in- vice president of operations, to start Gelest. on the product. “Above that, customers dustry customers through a joint research Under the terms of his departure, Arkles would want to contract with larger manu- effort, Zazyczny says. had agreed to not compete with Hüls, now facturers,” Edison says. However, Gelest is not ignoring silicon- a part of Evonik Industries, until 1993. Ge- “For us here, the excitement is getting in- based materials at its current site, a 21- lest started making silicon compounds in volved in the nitty-gritty,” Arkles says. “We acre complex in Morrisville, Pa. The firm 1994. The extra year was long enough, he are unapologetic chemists.” —MARC REISCH

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 20 JANUARY 18, 2010 BUSINESS INSIGHTS The Patient Ascendant A NEW HEALTH CARE ORDER is emerging, fueled by genetics and information RICK MULLIN, C&EN NORTHEAST NEWS BUREAU

TOWARD THE END of a lunch discussion at the something out. Of course, the first thing I did

Burrill Personalized Medicine conference in ISTOCK was look on the Internet.” San Francisco late last year, someone suggested The Western medical profession is right to that two commercially available cancer drugs be shield patients from quackery and unguided for- administered as a combination therapy immedi- ays in the world of pharmaceuticals and surgery. ately, given the opinion of prominent research- But there is also an issue of turf protection. ers that they would work better together. The If the information available to patients is silence that followed was broken by a physician increasing, so is the patient’s skill at vetting that at the table. information. Jonathan Jacoby, the head of the “That’s not how science works,” she said. RARE Project (Rare Disease Advocacy Research End of discussion? Well, a drug company Education Project), notes that the way people researcher at the table nodded his head in agree- work today has honed their ability to deal with ment with the doctor. But a patient activist, complex information. unimpressed, reminded the group that certain “Many patients come from disciplines in individuals can hire their own scientists to do which they develop skills and expertise that can things differently in support of patients who are be valuable to the clinical process,” Jacoby says, unwilling to wait for science-according-to-protocol. pointing to engineers, information technology professionals, and Um … could you pass the sugar, please? community organizers. Jacoby himself came to the RARE Project Yes, things were a little tense at times, but they were also excit- with a background in conflict resolution, a useful discipline in pa- ing at the fifth annual two-day conference, hosted by Burrill & Co., tient advocacy. the venture capital and merchant banking firm. For one thing, ev- Describing the risks involved in empowering patients, Jacoby eryone was talking about science. For another, the traditional rela- uses a metaphor. “I’d compare patient advocacy to fuel,” he says. “If tionship between doctor, patient, and scientist was changing even you take fuel and refine it, it can add enormous power. If you don’t as we lunched. We were witnessing the ascendance of the patient. refine it, it can destroy the engine. If you waste it, you destroy the One might expect this dynamic at a conference on personalized environment.” medicine, the field of genetics-driven therapies and preventive mea- Clearly, something must be done with this energy. And it is in sures tailored to individuals. But it is not the health care enterprise’s the arena of personalized medicine—Jacoby would argue primarily focus on personalized treatment and counseling alone that empow- for cancer—that much of the refining is happening via collabora- ers the patient. It is also patients’ increased access to information tive engagement and education. about their personal genomes and the seemingly infinite bank of The quiet guest at the lunch table—the industry researcher— information on health care, drugs, and science on the Internet. will bear much of the brunt of health care change as new routes to cures circumvent the now rather dry and creaky big pharma pipe- THIS CONVERGENCE seems positive for the most part. Better in- line. Collaborations with academia and biotech firms are paving formed patients ask better questions and can handle more detailed the way to collaborations between big drug companies themselves, information from doctors. And doctors tend to be more personally much of it directed at genetic or other biotechnology-based thera- involved with patients with whom they can discuss details. Person- pies in the field of personalized medicine. And fuel for these collab- alized medicine, in turn, will get physicians more involved with the orations will come in no small part from patient advocacy groups science of developing wellness strategies and therapies for their such as Stand Up to Cancer, an entertainment industry initiative patients. launched by cancer survivors to raise cancer awareness and money One might even anticipate a phoenixlike reemer- for research (C&EN, Nov. 3, 2008, page 16). gence of the medical profession from the regulatory Such groups, which also include the Michael J. Fox and insurance-driven numbers game that for decades Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and the Multi- has placed a heavier emphasis on the quantity than on “Many patients ple Myeloma Research Foundation, have clout. They the quality of patient interactions. An ironic return to come from are the voice of the patient. What matters most, how- simpler times. But nothing is simple when it comes to disciplines in ever, is the individual patient, the consumer whom changes in the status quo or the science protocol. Free- which they Jacoby describes as the traditional source of money flowing information makes people nervous. develop skills to the health care enterprise. That description seems One parent I spoke with recently told me of an ex- cold, but money is not a bad thing when combined change with his son’s physician upon learning that the and expertise with information and the ability to use it. boy has a rare and incurable disease. “The first thing that can be the doctor told me,” he said, “was not to go on the In- valuable to the Views expressed on this page are those of the author ternet. It was almost as if he were afraid we would find clinical process.” and not necessarily those of ACS.

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 21 JANUARY 18, 2010 GOVERNMENT & POLICY CONCENTRATES

NANOMATERIALS IN STAKEHOLDERS ISSUE FOOD UNDER SCRUTINY PUBLIC-ACCESS REPORT The U.K.’s House of Lords Science & Tech- nology Committee has released a report Federal agencies should develop and implement a policy that ensures calling on the food industry to be more public access to peer-reviewed journal articles containing federally funded transparent about its use of nanotechnolo- research data, according to a report from the Scholarly Publishing Round- gy. The committee acknowledged that food table. The group of academic administrators, academic librarians, publish- manufacturers are concerned about nega- tive public reactions to the use of nanoscale ers, and information technology researchers was convened by the House materials in food, but it warned that hiding Science & Technology Committee and the Office of Technology Policy last research on nanotech foods may backfire June. The report includes several recommendations to achieve a federal and lead to the type of public fear that com- public-access policy. Most important, to balance the needs of different panies are trying to prevent. The report science disciplines, the report calls for an embargo period of zero to 12 offers several recommendations, including months to be set up between publication and public access. Other recom- increased funding from the U.K. Govern- mendations include working closely with stakeholders to develop public- ment & Research Councils to investigate access policies, making sure standards are in place to allow searchability potential health and safety risks of nanoma- across databases, and requiring that the final version of an article or a link terials in food and how nanomaterials be- to that version is available. “These recommendations strike a good balance have in the body. It also urges the U.K Food by allowing public access to the results of research paid for with federal Standards Agency to establish and maintain funds, while preserving the high quality and editorial integrity of scholarly a publicly available registry of nanotech publishing so critical to scientists and seasoned science writers,” says Rep. foods and food packaging. Nanomaterials Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.), chairman of the S&T Committee.—SRM can be used to create foods with reduced fat, salt, or sugar without altering taste, and they can be added to food packaging to keep foods fresher or warn consumers when a currently protect at least $20 billion in is requesting an 18-month extension in food is spoiled. Currently, the number of sales of brand-name pharmaceuticals from implementation to give smaller chemical nanotech food products is small, but it is generic competition,” the report says. The distributors time to complete the transi- expected to grow rapidly. —BEE drug industry argues that most compensa- tion to the new system. For more informa- tion agreements are pro-consumer because tion go to osha.gov. —DJH they still allow generic manufacturers to FTC SEEKS BAN ON introduce cheaper drugs before the patents PAY-FOR-DELAY DEALS expire on their brand counterparts. Similar NIST FUNDS NEW questions are now being raised in Europe RESEARCH FACILITIES Patent dispute settlements in which brand- (see page 6). —GH name pharmaceutical companies pay ge- The National Institute of Standards & Tech- nerics competitors to delay entry into the nology has awarded more than $123 million market are costing consumers $3.5 billion HEARINGS PLANNED ON in American Recovery & Reinvestment Act per year, the Federal Trade Commission CHEMICAL LABELING of 2009 funds to support construction of said last week. scientific research facilities at 11 universi- Eliminating OSHA has scheduled a series of public ties and one nonprofit organization. The these “anticom- hearings to gather comments on its pro- projects were chosen because they support petitive” pay- posal to harmonize its chemical hazard research goals of NIST and of the National for-delay deals communication rule with the United Na- Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, in- SHUTTERSTOCK is one of the tions’ Globally Harmonized System of cluding programs for the study of advanced commission’s Classification & Labeling of Chemicals materials, coral reefs, nanoscience, metrol- highest priori- (C&EN, Oct. 5, 2009, page 31). The move ogy, and quantum physics. Among the in- ties, FTC Chair- is designed to improve communications stitutions getting awards are the University man Jon Lei- when chemicals move between countries of Pittsburgh, which will receive $15 million bowitz says. He by using a consistent system of labels or for a new nanoscience lab; the University of wants Congress to include a provision in pictograms to convey chemical safety Maine, which will get $12.4 million to build the final health care reform legislation that information. A three-year phase-in is an advanced nanocomposites and renew- would block generic-delaying settlements. planned. The first public hearing will be in able energy lab; the University of Kansas Since 2005, the number of pay-for-delay Washington, D.C., on March 2, and subse- Center for Research, which will receive $12.3 deals has increased following a number of quent hearings will be held in Pittsburgh million to build a measurement, materials, court decisions that have “misapplied the and Los Angeles. The National Association and sustainable environment center; and antitrust law” and upheld the agreements, of Chemical Distributors, whose members Georgia Tech Research Corp., which is get- according to the FTC analysis. “Most of would be affected by the new rule, sup- ting $11.6 million for a pilot-scale lab to study these agreements are still in effect. They ports the goal of a harmonized system but carbon-neutral energy solutions.—DJH

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 22 JANUARY 18, 2010 GOVERNMENT INSIGHTS Trade Secrets Legitimate confidential business information must remain part of CHEMICAL CONTROL LAW DAVID J. HANSON , C&EN WASHINGTON

ONE OF THE BATTLES facing the chemical claimed confidential, the manufacturing and

industry in 2010 will be fought over congres- use of that substance must always ISTOCK sional efforts to strengthen the 1976 Toxic fully comply with the requirements of Substances Control Act (see page 10). the law,” ACC stated. Full compliance Lisa P. Jackson, administrator of the includes disclosing any information Environmental Protection Agency, on significant risks to health and the has already moved to bolster environment. the agency’s review of chemi- The Society of Chemical Manufac- cals (C&EN, Oct. 19, 2009, page turers & Affiliates, which represents 28), and organizations on all sides the batch and custom chemical indus- of TSCA reform have been laying the try, refutes the charge that industry is at groundwork for this year’s debate. fault on this matter. “Even if the informa- So far, many of the arguments center on EPA’s lack tion is deemed confidential, it is still up to of authority to force chemical makers to provide detailed health EPA to make the final determination about and safety data on the chemicals they manufacture. Supporters the safety of the chemical,” says William of stronger controls, including the Obama Administration and E. Allmond IV, SOCMA vice president for government relations. environmental advocacy organizations, contend that the chemical SOCMA is aware that the chemical industry might have been too industry is getting a free ride under the current law because it is quick to claim information on chemicals as confidential in the not required to do toxicity testing on chemicals already being pro- past, but Allmond tells C&EN that the trade group is working with duced. Industry representatives agree that the law needs modifica- its members to exercise this claim more prudently in the future. tion, but they are balking at some of the ideas being discussed. Of special concern is the law’s liberal interpretation of “confi- BUT THE PRIMARY PROBLEM is the law. The chemical industry dential business information.” According to the Washington, D.C.- is highly competitive; maintaining a slight edge by keeping new based Environmental Working Group (EWG), because of unneces- compounds confidential is critical to companies’ survival, and sary confidentiality claims, chemical companies are threatening hu- TSCA allows it in spades. Not only can a company claim confiden- man health. The group bases this claim on its analysis of EPA data, tial business information for any chemical submitted for review, which was completed last month, for the frequency of confiden- but the law also imposes heavy penalties—including jail time—on tiality claims by companies submitting new chemicals for review anyone who reveals that data. That EPA seems to favor industry is (www.ewg.org/chemicalindustryexposed/topsecretchemicals). not the result of policy or whim—it is because that is what the law That analysis says that data on 17,000 of the more than 83,000 demands. chemicals in the TSCA inventory of commercial chemicals are “The solution is not as simple as requiring all information to “secret” and that, historically, EPA gives in too easily to companies be fully disclosed in all cases,” writes Richard Denison, a senior when they assert that data are confidential business information. scientist with the advocacy group Environmental Defense Fund, in Because the public has no access to the confidential business in- his thoughtful blog (www.edf.org/chemandnano). There are legiti- formation of a chemical submitted for inclusion in the inventory, mate reasons for keeping data secret, he notes, at least for a period EWG insists that the industry has thousands of secret chemicals in of time. Although he strongly favors full disclosure of product products that “directly threaten human health.” ingredients, Denison writes that it is the law that has “tied EPA’s This allegation is a stretch even for EWG, which has a reputa- hands both legally and resource-wise in any effort to challenge or tion for making sensational claims of health threats from chemi- rein in such claims where they are not legitimate.” cals. Even if information about a chemical is not public, EPA The claims of confidential business information will be part reviews all the available health and safety data for the compound of the debate on TSCA reform, and they deserve a more nuanced before allowing its manufacture or importation. If these data are analysis than EWG’s crude “investigation.” Congress and the Ad- poor or incomplete, the agency can ask for addi- ministration need to be cautious when they rewrite tional information. Just because companies want to laws with major impact on the nation’s industries. As claim the information confidential does not make That EPA seems ACC said in its statement, “Balanced confidentiality the compound dangerous, which is what EWG is to favor industry laws help protect the trade secrets that foster inno- implying. is not the result of vation and create jobs.” And of all the needs that the There are no secret chemicals on the market, said Administration has emphasized over the past year, the American Chemistry Council, which represents policy or whim—it the greatest has been for jobs and innovation. most of the U.S.’s largest chemical manufacturers, is because that in a statement reacting to EWG’s claims. “In those is what the law Views expressed on this page are those of the author cases where a specific chemical identity has been demands. and not necessarily those of ACS.

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KEY NUTRIENTS DECLINE IN TRANSGENIC RICE GRAPHENE NANOGAPS FOR DNA Genetic modifications aimed at introduc- Solid-state and protein nanopores are of great interest for DNA sequenc- ing useful traits such as pest resistance into ing because of the possibility of reading longer stretches of DNA. But rice appear to have unintended negative nanopores have trouble achieving single-base resolution. In a theoretical nutritional consequences ( J. Agric. Food study, Henk W. Ch. Postma of California Chem., DOI: 10.1021/jf902676y). Gong-Ke State University, Northridge, suggests Li and colleagues of Sun Yat-Sen Univer- a variation on the nanopore concept— sity, in Guangzhou, China, examined three

graphene nanogaps. Postma proposes LETT. NANO kinds of Oryza sativa rice engineered to using a narrow gap in a graphene sheet have resistance to certain insect pests and attached to a pair of gold electrodes fungal diseases. The researchers studied to measure the transverse conduc- the nutritional content of the rice using tance of DNA (Nano Lett., DOI: 10.1021/ near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy, nl9029237). Each base has a character- gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, istic conductance, and graphene’s single- high-performance liquid chromatography, atom thickness should make it possible to and inductively coupled plasma-atomic achieve single-base resolution during se- emission spectroscopy coupled with che- mometrics methods. When they compared quencing. The nanogap needs to be large the transgenic varieties with conventional enough for single-stranded DNA to slide O. sativa rice, they detected a significant de- through, but it can’t be larger than 1.6 nm. cline in vitamin E in the first type of trans- “For every 0.1-nm increase in width, the current decreases by about an order of Single-stranded DNA moves through genic rice; a sizable reduction in protein a nanogap in a graphene sheet. content in the second type; and a deficiency magnitude,” Postma says. He proposes in amino acids, including alanine, glycine, measuring the conductance with nonlin- and tyrosine, in the third type. The study ear current-voltage analysis, which would allow determination of whether yielded “alarming information with regard current changes are due to gap-width variations or due to different bases. to the nutritional value of transgenic rice,” Postma’s calculations suggest that graphene nanogaps up to 1.6 nm will the researchers report. “To confirm the bio- lead to error-free sequencing.—CHA safety of transgenic rice,” they add, “more detailed nutritional and toxicological tests should be carried out.” —SLR universally true (J. Org. Chem., DOI: 10.1021/ metric organometallic reagent has been jo901503d). After reviewing hundreds of achieved by Daniel J. Weix and cowork- TWISTED NATURE OF so-called oxyanion-hole enzyme structures, ers of the University of Rochester ( J. Am. TRANSITION STATES which catalyze addition reactions to carbon- Chem. Soc., DOI: 10.1021/ja9093956). These yl groups, Goodman’s team noticed that indispensible reactions to prepare alkylat- A textbook rule about enzyme catalysis is active-site residues in these enzymes don’t ed aromatics typically require preforming being called into question by Jonathan M. form optimally oriented hydrogen bonds to an alkyl magnesium or alkyl zinc halide in a Goodman of the University of Cambridge transition-state atoms. Instead, the hydro- separate step. But last year, chemists sim- and Luis Simón of Spain’s University of gen bonds are twisted around the carbonyl plified the method by devising procedures Salamanca. The duo finds that the long- axis by up to 90°, Goodman says. There’s to generate the reagents as in situ interme- held adage that an enzyme’s active site some evolutionary logic behind the twisted diates in one-pot reactions (C&EN, Oct. stabilizes a reactant’s transition state in bonds. Goodman points out that hydrogen 26, 2009, page 6). Weix’s group has now order to speed up reactions might not be bonding that is too snug might decrease the simplified the reaction further by creating speed of a reaction because molecules could conditions that avoid the formation of an find interacting with the enzyme too enjoy- organometallic reagent entirely. The re- able to move along quickly. That observa- searchers prepared a chemical soup made tion might be useful to scientists designing from a host of ingredients: aryl iodide and artificial enzymes and organocatalysts, the alkyl iodide substrates, an NiI 2 catalyst, researchers suggest.—SE bipyridine and bis(diphenylphosphino)-

JONATHAN GOODMAN JONATHAN benzene ligands, a pyridine additive, man- ganese powder as a reducing agent, and a NEW AND IMPROVED pyrimidinone solvent (DMPU). Instead of CROSS-COUPLINGS forming a discrete organometallic reagent, such as RMnI, the reaction appears to pro- Hydrogen bonding of a nucleophilic A general method for conducting direct ceed via a sequence of oxidative additions reactant isn’t optimal in oxyanion-hole reductive cross-couplings of aryl and alkyl of the aryl iodide and alkyl iodide to nickel, enzymes, such as this dehalogenase. halides without an intermediate stoichio- aided by a synergistic effect of the dual

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ligands. The coupled alkylated aromatic plications can be products possess a variety of functional- probed in detail S S S ity, Weix says, including an unprotected with positrons, S S alcohol.—SR according to a Michigan- based research team (Adv. S S Mater., DOI: 10.1002/ S S S IRON UPTAKE BY adma.200903618). PLANKTON DECREASES Collisions between AS OCEANS ACIDIFY positrons (positive- ly charged electrons) and electrons Ocean acidification resulting from in- lead to annihilation events that creased carbon dioxide levels might de- generate gamma rays. The life- crease the bioavailability of iron for marine times of positrons injected into a solid Nonacene derivative phytoplankton, according to a report by depend on how quickly the particles en- Princeton University’s Dalin Shi, François counter electrons, which in turn depends singlet diradical into a closed-shell species M. M. Morel, and coworkers (Science, DOI: on the material’s porosity—its distribution while simultaneously reducing the HOMO- 10.1126/science.1183517). In laboratory stud- of void spaces. Ming Liu, David W. Gidley, LUMO gap to about 1 eV.” Miller hopes to ies, the team tested the effect of pH on iron and Adam J. Matzger of the University of perform a detailed computational study uptake by four species of phytoplankton in Michigan and coworkers exploited those of how substituents affect the total spin the presence of different classes of metal relationships to investigate carbon dioxide and molecular orbital energy gaps in larger chelators. They found that iron uptake de- uptake and the effects of temperature on acenes. Preparing very large, persistent creased as the pH decreased in the presence MOF-5, a well-studied porous compound. acenes “is an intellectually tantalizing and of the chelators ethylenediaminetetraacetic Among the team’s observations is the find- increasingly realistic goal,” he says. —BH acid and desferriferrioxamine B. In con- ing that 20–30% of MOF-5’s open volume trast, iron uptake didn’t change with pH in remains unfilled with CO2 , even at 400 the presence of the catechol azotochelin. psi, and that the crystals are unexpectedly FLEXIBLE DRUG TARGET In analyses using Atlantic Ocean surface riddled with 6-nm-long defects. In addi- REVEALS ITS SECRETS water, Shi and coworkers found modest tion, the researchers found that heat treat- decreases in iron uptake of about 10% by a ments degrade the crystal structure and The first X-ray crystal structure of a flexible model diatom when they decreased the pH form pores of a broad range of sizes. These member of an enzyme family involved in of seawater from 8.4 to 7.8. Biogeochemist types of defects have not been reported diseases ranging from cancer and diabetes Constant M. G. van den Berg of England’s previously in MOF studies based on X-ray to inflammation and asthma could bolster University of Liverpool finds the results structure methods and gas-adsorption efforts to develop drugs that selectively surprising. “We did not know that iron techniques, which provide only structur- inhibit the enzymes. Pharmaceutical com- uptake would be less at lower pH, as the ally averaged results, the team says.—MJ panies trying to develop drugs aimed at the calculated concentration of bioavailable in- phosphoinositide-3-OH kinases (PI3Ks) organic iron actually increases slightly with have been stymied by an inability to target decreasing pH,” van den Berg says. “This is A NONACENE WITH specific family members and therefore indeed very important.” —CHA STAYING POWER minimize side effects from interactions with other members. A team led by Roger The first persistent derivative of nona- L. Williams of the Medical Research Coun- POROUS COMPOUNDS cene—a compound with nine aromatic cil’s Laboratory of Molecular Biology, in PROBED WITH rings fused in a linear fashion—has been Cambridge, England, solved the structure POSITRONS prepared by chemists at the University of of the δ isoform of PI3K bound to several New Hampshire (J. Am. Chem. Soc., DOI: inhibitors that were flat or shaped like Chemically and thermally induced changes 10.1021/ja9095472). With high-charge-carri- propellers ( Nat. Chem. Biol., DOI: 10.1038/ in the pore structure of nanoporous metal- er mobilities, acenes are promising organic nchembio.293). This isoform, associated organic framework (MOF) compounds semiconductors for thin-film transistors, with inflammation, has a topology similar being investigated displays, and photovoltaics. Smaller acenes, to other structurally characterized PI3K for gas-storage such as pentacene, have already found use isoforms, but it appears to be more flexible. and other ap- in organic light-emitting-diode displays, For example, the team found that propel- for example. Larger acenes potentially have ler-shaped inhibitors squeeze into a site even higher mobilities, but the compounds normally occupied by the energy-giving Positron-electron oxidize rapidly. Glen P. Miller, Irvinder molecule ATP. In order to fit, the inhibitors annihilation reveals Kaur, and coworkers found that they could create a new cavity in a section of the en- previously unknown impede this degradation by adding arylthio zyme that is not normally open. Learning structural defects groups to nonacene. Density functional the- more about the conformational flexibility in MOF-5 pores (adsorbed ory calculations predict that these substitu- of enzymes that otherwise look the same CO 2 is gray and ents alter nonacene’s electronics, Miller could be key to designing drugs specific to a

red spheres). says, “effectively converting a ground-state particular isoform, Williams says.—SE MATZGER ADAM

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PROTEOMICS mune cells are “much IN PINK Bahn more similar to neurons (right) and students in the way they have to Melanie Beer communicate with oth- COURTESY OF SABINE BAHN BAHN SABINE OF COURTESY (left) and Agnes er cells,” Bahn says. Ernst analyze Other researchers proteomic data. see both advantages and disadvantages in using peripheral cells to study schizophrenia. “Differentially expressed proteins in blood and cerebrospinal fluid might be used as good biomarkers, but they are not always as informative as brain proteins regarding an understanding of the disease,” says Daniel Martins-de-Souza, a schizophrenia researcher at Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, in Munich.

EARLIER STUDIES from other labs sug- A SYSTEMIC LOOK gest that the link between neural cells and peripheral cells might not be so clear cut. AT SCHIZOPHRENIA In a gene expression study using white blood cells and skin cells from schizo- PERIPHERAL CELLS phrenia patients and control individuals, Proteomic analysis of Nicholas A. Matigian and coworkers of reveals aspects of psychiatric disorder Queensland Institute of Medical Research, CELIA HENRY ARNAUD, C&EN WASHINGTON in Australia, found no convergent set of dif- ferentially expressed genes in the different cell types ( PLoS One 2008, 3, e2412). The BECAUSE SCHIZOPHRENIA is a psychi- patients’ arms have identified systemic lack of a common set of changes in white atric disorder, its physical manifestations problems such as cell-cycle abnormalities blood cells and fibroblasts “weakens the must all be in the brain, right? Maybe not. (J. Proteome Res. 2010, 9, 521). case that these nonneuronal tissue sources Proteomic studies using cells from other “It’s clear that schizophrenia has a very are informative for detecting the under- parts of the body are showing that there strong genetic component,” Bahn says. lying causative genetic and epigenetic might be a systemic aspect of the disorder. “Most genes are not used only in the brain. changes responsible for” schizophrenia, The ability to use nonbrain cells to study If there is an underlying abnormality at the researchers wrote. schizophrenia could make it easier to find the genetic level that leads to pathology Bahn nevertheless believes peripheral- biomarkers of the disease and to develop in the brain, the assumption can be made cell-based diagnostics will be useful. She diagnostic tools. that there should also be dysregulation in and her coworkers have identified schizo- To date, most studies of the disorder the peripheral system. It may not lead to phrenia biomarkers in serum, and working have been done with brain tissue taken pathology, but it may reflect the pathology with the company Rules-Based Medicine, from schizophrenia patients after death. A in the brain.” located in Austin, Texas, and Lake Placid, major drawback of such studies is that the Bahn and her coworkers have seen that N.Y., she expects that a serum-based test to tissue might no longer reflect the circum- 40% of the changes observed in the brains aid in the diagnosis of schizophrenia will be stances that existed while the patient was of schizophrenia patients also occur in the launched sometime this year. still alive. peripheral systems. The affected pathways “We’ve identified a signature of nu- “The problem with psychiatric disorders include cell replication, immune function, merous protein biomarkers, which give is that you can’t take biopsies at different and glucose metabolism. a very high sensitivity and specificity,” disease stages,” says Sabine Bahn, director “We were pleased that some of our pre- Bahn says. “We’ve looked at hundreds of the Cambridge Institute for Psychiatric vious findings could be reproduced in the of samples from patients and controls Research at the University of Cambridge. fibroblast system,” Bahn says. “It was reas- and other disorders that are related to “Patients would not be too happy to have suring that we can trace central nervous schizophrenia.” pieces of brain taken at different time system abnormalities in the peripheral The test would help confirm diagnoses points.” system.” made on the basis of conventional meth- Bahn and her colleagues are investigat- Bahn started out working with fibro- ods. “The customary window is often a ing disease markers in tissues such as skin, blasts, but she is now using immune cells delay of several years until someone is immune cells, and blood serum to find in her schizophrenia studies. Skin cells are confirmed and diagnosed,” Bahn says. “We samples that give a real-time picture of the easier to culture than immune cells, but know very well that if patients are treated disease. Their studies of protein expression the latter have the advantage that they are early in the disease process, we improve in fibroblasts (skin cells) on schizophrenia involved in more signaling pathways. Im- outcome.” ■

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 26 JANUARY 18, 2010 stimulus or if environmental conditions are not conducive to breeding,” he says. SEX THERAPY LEAD “We think GnIH is acting as a pause button, so you don’t have to shut down the whole FROM BIRD BRAINS reproductive machinery,” he explains. “You can just temporarily put a halt to the proceedings.” REPRODUCTIVE HORMONE previously detected in birds, rats, and fish has now been found in humans STRESS IS KNOWN to cause sexual dysfunction and infertility. Bentley and colleagues recently showed that GnIH neu- A HORMONE first found in bird brains In its normal role, GnIH opposes gonad- rons have a receptor for the hormones re- could have ramifications for human sexual- otropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), a key leased when an animal is stressed and that ity, a new study reveals. player in the reproductive system. GnRH is stress stimulates GnIH expression ( Proc. Analogs of the hormone, which sup- produced by neurons in the hypothalamus Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2009, 106, 11324). presses reproduction and sexual behavior and travels through the bloodstream to the GnIH neural function in birds and in birds and some other species, have pituitary gland, prompting it to release go- mammals is also affected by the hormone now been detected in humans ( PLoS One, nadotropin hormones that prime the body melatonin, Tsutsui says ( Endocrinology DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008400). The for sex and procreation. 2010, 151, 271). Melatonin is discovery could yield a new class of con- GnIH, which is also pro- involved in the sleep/wake traceptives as well as treatments for early duced by hypothalamic neu- and reproductive cycles, puberty, low libido, and infertility. rons, blocks GnRH through and its synthesis and re- Kazuyoshi Tsutsui, a biologist at Waseda multiple avenues. In their lease are regulated by day University, in Tokyo, and coauthor of the PLoS One paper, Bentley and length. Binding of mela- PLoS One paper, discovered the first exam- colleagues report that the tonin to receptors on GnIH ple of the peptide hormone in quail brains neurons that produce GnIH neurons increases the re- a decade ago (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Com- extend fibers, or projections, lease of GnIH. “Melatonin mun. 2000, 275, 661). Tsutsui and his co- that contact the neurons BENTLEY GEORGE OF COURTESY manipulation may offer workers named it gonadotropin-inhibitory that produce GnRH. They means of manipulating re- hormone (GnIH). identified a receptor for the production in humans and Since Tsutsui’s initial discovery of GnIH human GnIHs on the GnRH other mammalian species,” in quail, homologs belonging to the RF- neurons. The researchers Tsutsui says. amide-related peptide (RFRP) family have believe that binding of GnIH Greg M. Anderson, a been found in other birds, as well as in fish, to that receptor suppresses Bentley biologist at New Zealand’s frogs, rodents, and monkeys. Now, Uni- secretion of GnRH. University of Otago who versity of California, Berkeley, biologists In addition, GnIH inhibits secretion studies GnIH and GnRH, recommends that George E. Bentley and Takayoshi Ubuka, of gonadotropins by the pituitary gland, the latest results be interpreted with cau- along with Tsutsui and other colleagues, which also possesses the GnIH receptor, tion. “The paper by Ubuka et al. is the first have isolated from human brain tissue two the researchers showed. Finally, GnIH is to characterize the RFRP-1 and -3 neurons compounds that they believe are GnIH ho- produced in the reproductive organs that and their projections to GnRH neurons in mologs. They have dubbed the compounds are the targets of gonadotropins—ovaries the human hypothalamus,” Anderson says. RFRP-1 and RFRP-3. in females and testes in males—and im- But he questions whether RFRPs produced Because the reproduction-suppressing pedes their release of sex steroids. in the brain can escape the blood-brain bar- properties of GnIH “seem to be quite Bentley and Tsutsui have studied the rier and enter the bloodstream. He is also highly evolutionarily conserved across effect of GnIH on the response of female not convinced that all RFRPs can inhibit vertebrates, GnIH most likely inhibits sparrows to male sparrows. A female gonadotropin synthesis and secretion ( En- reproductive function in humans” as well, normally signals her willingness to mate docrinology 2009, 150, 1413). Bentley says. “It is possible that it inhibits by raising her tail and head, fluttering her “Whether RFRP-1 and -3 are in fact sexual behavior, too, although we have no wings, and vocalizing. The researchers GnIHs will remain controversial until they data on this in humans yet,” he adds. showed that administering GnIH to a fe- are detected at physiologically meaningful “Identifying the inhibitory hormone in male sparrow dampens her mating ardor concentrations in the mammalian portal humans forces us to revise our understand- considerably—but only for a short time. blood system,” which carries blood and ing of the control mechanism of human Bentley thinks GnIH acts as an easily re- hormones from the base of the hypothala- reproduction,” Ubuka says. “We hope this versible check on the reproductive system. mus to the pituitary gland, Anderson says. will stimulate clinical studies on people Such a light restraint could be particularly Bentley and Tsutsui plan to study the with precocious puberty or in the area of useful in seasonal breeders, which include compounds’ activities and physiological contraception.” Because reproductive hor- many birds and mammals. “Within the concentrations further. Bentley will also mones promote the growth of some types time frame of the breeding season, it might explore whether modulating RFRP levels of cancer cells, GnIH or its derivatives be wise to have a system whereby you can can help endangered animals breed more might also work as anticancer agents. pause reproduction if there’s a stressful successfully in captivity. —SOPHIE ROVNER

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hours, are available in their entirety to view MARSHALL NIRENBERG’S or download at videocast.nih.gov/launch. asp?15434. Videotaped remarks by NIH Direc- WORK HONORED tor Francis S. Collins were shown during the symposium and sum up the impact of Research deciphering the GENETIC CODE is the Nirenberg’s work. “It is fair to say that Dr. latest National Historic Chemical Landmark Nirenberg’s discoveries contributed to our completing the human genome, mapping human genetic variation, and studying the IN MAY 1961, “Big Science” was grabbing tein composed entirely of phenylalanine. correlations between variation and dis- headlines: On May 5, ground crews cheered From these data, Nirenberg concluded ease,” said Collins, who is also the former as Alan Shepard flew high enough to earn that the sequence UUU on mRNA was the director of the National Human Genome the title “First American in Space.” Less genetic code for phenylala- than three weeks later, on May 25, Presi- nine. This was the first step NIH dent John F. Kennedy vowed that the U.S. in determining the genetic would put a man on the moon by the end of instructions for all amino the decade. acid synthesis and was also While these events were capturing the the first demonstration that nation’s imagination, a pair of scientists mRNA, which had been pos- quietly reached a breathtaking new frontier tulated, actually exists. right here on Earth. In the wee hours of Within three years, Nir- May 27, in Building 10 on the campus of the enberg and his colleagues National Institutes of Health, in Bethesda, had identified the RNA Md., researcher Marshall W. Nirenberg and codons of all 20 standard postdoc Heinrich Matthaei found the key amino acids that make up to deciphering the genetic code of virtually proteins. For this work, Nirenberg was one Research Insti- LANDMARK Gottesman all life on Earth—a biochemical Rosetta of three winners of the 1968 Nobel Prize in tute. “One day, (left) and Nirenberg flank the plaque Stone—in a humble test tube. That discov- Physiology or Medicine. when medicine designating the ery was recently honored by the American Many of Nirenberg’s former colleagues is able to marshal deciphering of the Chemical Society as a National Historic and students were on hand as Nirenberg’s the power of genetic code as a Chemical Landmark. work became ACS’s 64th National Historic this knowledge National Historic Chemical Landmark at Nirenberg set out to prove the existence Chemical Landmark. Thomas H. Lane, to personalize a National Institutes of of messenger RNA, which he did, but his then-ACS president, presented a bronze medicine for Health ceremony. experiment yielded plaque describing every individual, much more. He NIH the groundbreak- the full promise instructed Matthaei ing experiment to of Nirenberg’s to mix 20 samples Michael Gottes- work will be realized,” he said. of synthetic mRNA man, NIH’s deputy Nirenberg, 82, has spent his entire ca- director for intra- reer at NIH and is the longtime chief of its TRANSLATION mural research, at National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute’s Matthaei (left) the close of a day- Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics. He and Nirenberg photographed long symposium came to NIH in 1957 as a postdoc working shortly after their held in Building 10. on sugar transport, enzyme purification, groundbreaking The symposium and glycogen metabolism. After being experiment. was a tribute to hired as an independent researcher in Nir enberg’s work 1959, he made an abrupt change in his re- and was attended search focus that his then-colleague Bruce composed entirely by about 400 peo- N. Ames deemed “suicidal.” Nirenberg of uracil with a ple, primarily NIH made the move because he wanted to find specially prepared scientists. Titled out whether DNA or RNA directed protein cell-free extract of “Genes to Proteins: synthesis. Although Nirenberg admitted Escherichia coli. For Decoding Ge- it was a risky thing for a new researcher each sample, Mat- netic Information,” to do, he says Ames’s opinion “was a little thaei introduced the symposium extreme.” one radiolabeled amino acid and 19 unla- featured presentations of the classical The Chemical Society of Washington beled amino acids into the extract, varying work and cutting-edge research and were (the ACS Washington, D.C., local section) the “hot” amino acid in each tube. punctuated by personal reminiscences. sponsored the proposal for the landmark The sample containing the radiolabeled The symposium and landmark ceremony, status nearly three years ago. NIH Scien- phenylalanine produced radioactive pro- which together lasted more than five tist Emeritus Edwin D. (Ted) Becker, who

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 28 JANUARY 18, 2010 championed the designation and coorga- UNDERGRADUATE There is no limit on the number of appli- nized the symposium and other events sur- ORGANIC FELLOWSHIPS cations that can be submitted from any one rounding the landmark designation, says AVAILABLE academic institution or project adviser, he did so because he “thought it would be and students may apply for both awards. particularly important to demonstrate to The ACS Division of Organic Chemistry Applications for both awards must be the public that this work, which sounds like is seeking nominations for its 2010 sum- submitted by Feb. 1. For additional infor- genetics or biology, is really chemistry.” — mer undergraduate research fellowships. mation, contact the ACS Green Chemistry LINDA RABER Each award consists of a $5,000 stipend Institute by e-mail at [email protected]. to support an undergraduate carrying out research in the summer between the ju- ASTELLAS USA nior and senior year. The fellowships are JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL AWARDEES ANNOUNCED awarded on the basis of students’ research EDUCATION PARTNERS proposals, academic records, and faculty WITH ACS ACS has announced the winners of the recommendations. Application forms are 2009 Astellas USA Foundation Awards. available online at organicdivision.org/ The Journal of Chemical Education, which The awards recognize individuals or teams SURFprogram.html, and nominations had been self-published by the ACS Divi- that have significantly contributed to should be submitted as a single PDF file sion of Chemical Education for more than scientific research that improves public to Robert A. Volkmann at ravolkmann@ 80 years, is now available on the ACS Web health. Each winner will receive a $30,000 gmail.com by Feb. 2. Editions Platform at pubs.acs.org/jce. The grant from the Astellas USA Foundation’s January issue marks the official beginning award program to support their research of the partnership between the division efforts. SEEKING GRADUATE and ACS Publications in the copublication Frederick Khachik, a senior research STUDENTS FOR NEW of the Journal of Chemical Education . The scientist in the Col- ORGANIC SYMPOSIUM new website for the journal features a video lege of Chemical & interview with Editor-in-Chief Norbert J. Life Sciences at the Graduate students in organic chemistry Pienta in which he affirms his commitment University of Mary- are invited to apply for the Young Organic to continue publication of “all of the high land, received an Chemists Symposium, a new program of the value, quality material that people have ex- award for his research ACS Division of Organic Chemistry. Fifty to pected all these years.” on the synthesis, iso- 75 graduate students in organic chemistry The journal is now accepting manu- lation, and character- will be selected to present their research and script submissions electronically via the ization of carotenoids to interact with leaders from academia, in- ACS Paragon Plus online manuscript and their metabolites dustry, and various funding agencies at Bos- submission and peer review environment. from natural products and human serum ton College during the symposium, which ACS Publications manages subscrip- and tissues. will be held on July 15–18. For information tions and customer service, including Ka Yee C. Lee, professor of chemistry on how to apply, visit organicdivision.org. subscriber access to the Web and print and director of the Applications are due on March 1. editions of the journal by individuals and Chicago Materials institutions. Research Center at the University of Chicago, STUDENT AWARDS IN was selected for her GREEN CHEMISTRY CHEMISTRY TEACHER work on the mecha- EDUCATION COALITION nisms of amyloid-β The Joseph Breen Memorial Fellowship aggregation in Alzhei- sponsors undergraduate and graduate Chemistry educators are invited to attend mer’s disease and the students and postdocs to participate in an the Physics Teacher Education Coalition molecular processes international green chemistry technical Conference (PTEC) on Feb. 12–13 in Wash- underlying the development of neonatal meeting, conference, or training program ington, D.C. PTEC is partnering with ACS respiratory distress syndrome. of their choosing. This award is sponsored to support the launch of the Chemistry Arup K. SenGupta, professor and chair by a fund that commemorates the accom- Teacher Education Coalition (CTEC). of the department plishments of Joe Breen, the first director More than half of the conference sessions of civil and environ- of the Green Chemistry Institute. will be directly relevant to chemistry mental engineering The Kenneth G. Hancock Memorial teacher educators, and a special session at Lehigh University, Award honors outstanding student contribu- to develop a strategic plan for CTEC will was recognized for tions to furthering the goals of green chemis- be led by Mary M. Kirchhoff, ACS director his contributions to- try through research or education. The award of education. Conference topics include ward mitigating the is a one-time cash payout of $1,000 and is funding opportunities, teacher recruiting arsenic crises around open to all undergraduate and graduate stu- strategies, development of subject-specific the world through ap- dents. It is sponsored by the ACS Division of pedagogical knowledge, and preparing plication of chemistry Environmental Chemistry and the National teachers for urban schools. Visit ptec.org/ and chemical engineering principles. Institute of Standards & Technology. conferences/2010 for more information. ■

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papers, Adams has organized more than a dozen special issues for JOC, including a 2010 ACS NATIONAL commemorative issue celebrating the 50th anniversary of the discovery of ferrocene. AWARD WINNERS Adams, 62, received a B.S. degree in chemistry in 1969 from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. degree in 1973 from HONORED FOR CONTRIBUTIONS Recipients are Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He of major significance to chemistry began his career with a two-year stint at the State University of New York, Buffalo, followed by 10 years at Yale University. FOLLOWING is the third set of vignettes cluster compounds “has repeatedly dem- He joined the faculty at the University of of recipients of awards administered by onstrated the remarkable ability of these South Carolina in 1984. the American Chemical Society for 2010. compounds to produce novel chemistry Adams received the 1999 ACS Award in C&EN will publish the vignettes of the upon small molecules at polynuclear metal Inorganic Chemistry, a 1999 Alexander von remaining recipients in January and Febru- sites,” Marks notes. Humboldt Senior Scientist Award, a 2000 ary issues. A profile of Richard N. Zare, the Adams is most proud of his group’s re- Chemical Pioneer Award from the Ameri- 2010 Priestley Medalist, is scheduled to ap- search studies on hydrogen activation by can Institute of Chemists, and the 2005 pear in the March 22 issue of C&EN along mixed-metal cluster compounds. These Henry J. Albert Award of the International with his award address. specially designed complexes are crafted Precious Metals Institute. Most of the award recipients will be hon- from a combination of two transition met- Adams will present the award ad- ored at an awards ceremony that will be held als, a bulky phosphine ligand, and a tin or dress before the Division of Inorganic on Tuesday, March 23, in conjunction with germanium modifier. Chemistry.—STEVE RITTER the 239th ACS national meeting in San Fran- In one case, Adams and coworkers used cisco. However, the Arthur C. Cope Scholar a bimetallic cluster to help elucidate the awardees will be honored at the 240th ACS mechanism by which two metal centers co- IRVING LANGMUIR AWARD national meeting in Boston on Aug. 22–26. operate to facilitate a hydrogen-transfer re- IN CHEMICAL PHYSICS action. For example, OsH(CO)4 Sn(C 6 H 5 ) 3 doesn’t react with phenylacetylene, even at Sponsored by General Electric Global Research ACS AWARD FOR elevated temperature. But when combined and the ACS Division of Physical Chemistry DISTINGUISHED SERVICE with the platinum complex Pt[P( tert- IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF butyl)3 ] 2, the team found, the platinum A. Welford Castleman Jr., Evan Pugh Pro- INORGANIC CHEMISTRY atom bonds to and activates the Os–H fessor of Chemistry & Physics and holder bond. This unique bimetallic synergism of the Eberly Family Distinguished Chair in Sponsored by Strem Chemicals leads to easy transfer of hydrogen to phen- Science at Pennsylvania State University, is ylacetylene’s carbon-carbon triple bond. being honored for his pioneering investiga- Distinguished service awards recognize the Adams has been one of the inorganic tions of clusters, including their properties outstanding contributions that a member community’s most prolific volunteer orga- and reaction dynamics. of a research community has made to his nizers of scientific events. These include Castleman’s research has provided new or her field. This year, Richard D. Adams, many symposia at ACS national and re- insights into the influence of finite size the Carolina Distinguished Professor at the gional meetings, as well as the 1991 Gordon and quantum confinement effects on the University of South Carolina, Columbia, Research Conference on Inorganic Chem- behavior of matter; served to bridge the gas was selected by his peers for the breadth of istry. In 1982, Adams organized and chaired and condensed states; and contributed to his work in advancing inorganic chemistry. the committee to create the ACS Award in the fields of nanoscale materials science, ca- “Rick Adams is an out- Organometallic Chemistry. talysis, atmospheric chemistry, and surface standing choice for the dis- As Marks notes: “Anyone and colloid chemistry, says Harry R. Allcock, tinguished service award,” who has been involved in also a chemistry professor at Penn State. comments Northwestern the fundraising and political One of Castleman’s particular accom- University’s Tobin J. Marks, aspects of organizing new plishments is the discovery of metallocar- who received the award in awards knows this is a very bohedrenes (MetCars), which are caged 2008. Adams is an affable significant achievement.” clusters composed of transition-metal and chemist known for organiz- Adams has served for 12 carbon atoms. At the time, Castleman and ing superlative conferences years as the U.S. regional his group were looking at reactions of small and symposia and for his editor for the Journal of organic molecules with metal clusters, he editorial work on two key in- Organometallic Chemistry says. One of his students aimed a laser at

organic chemistry journals, CAROLINA SOUTH OF BROWN/U MICHAEL (JOC) and more than 15 the intersection of a rod of titanium and a Marks says. In addition, years as coeditor of the stream of ethylene gas and wound up with Adams’ pioneering research Journal of Cluster Science. something that generated a single peak in on the chemistry of metal Besides his yeoman’s duties the mass spectrum instead of the expected carbonyl complexes and Adams as an editor of submitted cluster signals. Thinking that something

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 30 JANUARY 18, 2010 was wrong with the instrument, they tore ACS AWARD IN imide with the ductility of silicone—fea- it apart and rebuilt it before realizing that INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY tures that are particularly useful in aircraft that the reaction had actually produced a applications such as doors for luggage + stable molecular cluster of Ti 8 C 12 . Sponsored by the ACS Division of Business compartments. Cella also helped develop Nearly two decades later, MetCars con- Development & Management and the Society new silicone-based antifouling coatings to tinue to be an active area of study. They’ve of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates keep ship hulls and water-intake tunnels been difficult to isolate in significant free of barnacles and other organisms. quantities, Castleman notes, but he is still James A. Cella, who was a principal scien- In another project, “Jim took on one of intrigued by their properties and possible tist in the chemical energy systems labora- the most important challenges in the sili- applications as catalysts, tory at GE Global Research, cones industry by determining the environ- superconductors, and quan- in Niskayuna, N.Y., until mental fate of silicones used in many per- tum wells in semiconductor he retired in 2009, is being sonal care and consumer products,” Rich devices. honored for his accomplish- says. “Jim’s pioneering work demonstrated Another active area of ments in polymer synthesis that silicone products are indeed biode-

Castleman’s research has HEIDE CASTLEMAN and silicone chemistry and gradable and showed definitively the fate of been to use ultrafast laser for the impact of his work on these products in various ecosystems.” techniques to induce Cou- GE and the broader scien- Before retiring, Cella joined GE’s re- lomb explosions, which in- tific community, according search and development effort in organic volve using a femtosecond to the company’s Global light-emitting diodes, which the company laser pulse to strip clusters Technology Leader, Terry hopes will one day replace incandescent of their electrons; the clus- K. Leib. and fluorescent light bulbs in homes. ters then repel each other Cella’s technical con- Altogether, he holds more than 50 pat- due to the positive charges. tributions “have been ents, but there’s more to Cella than his dis- The experiments can be financially significant and coveries in the lab. “Jim was one of the most used to test the interaction Castleman scientifically meaningful,” sought-after mentors in our chemistry orga- of high-intensity radiation adds Jonathan D. Rich, a nization,” Leib says. Furthermore, “through with matter or to arrest a chemical reac- former colleague who is now president three decades of science shows with local tion to study a reaction intermediate in and chief executive officer of the specialty schools, Jim has inspired countless children real time. chemical company Momen- to believe in the magic of Castleman says one of the things that tive Performance Materials, chemistry.” makes clusters interesting is that their in Albany, N.Y. Currently, Cella is busy properties don’t scale linearly with size. Cella, 63, became inter- working as the sauté chef “In many cases, one atom makes a differ- ested in chemistry as a boy at his family’s Cella Bistro, ence,” he says. Much of the emphasis in his with the help of Mr. Wizard, which is just down the road lab now is to devise clusters that mimic the a chemistry set, and experi- from the GE lab. In a sense properties of various elements. “Super- ments with home-brewed his career has come full cir- COURTESY OF JAMES JAMES CELLA OF COURTESY atoms” like Al 13, which behaves like a halo- rocket fuel. He earned a B.S. cle: When he interviewed for – gen, and Al13 , which behaves like a noble in chemistry at Seton Hall his first job at GE, his future gas, could be the building blocks of com- University in 1968 and a employers treated him to plex materials that perhaps could include Ph.D. in organic chemistry dinner at the restaurant that both properties of the composite elements at Ohio State University in used to occupy the bistro’s and their clusters. 1973. present site. And because Castleman received a B.S. from Rensse- After graduation, he the location is still popular laer Polytechnic Institute in 1957. In 1958, served as an officer in the Cella with the GE crowd, Cella he joined Brookhaven National Laboratory, Army Medical Service can keep up with the latest where he continued to work while earning Corps, conducting medicinal chemistry happenings at the company. a Ph.D. from Polytechnic Institute of New research at Walter Reed Army Institute Cella will present the award address be- York. He completed that degree in 1969. of Research, in Washington, D.C. Upon fore the Division of Business Development In 1975, he left Brookhaven for the Univer- completion of his military service in 1976, & Management.—SOPHIE ROVNER sity of Colorado, Boulder, where he was he moved to GE’s Corporate Research & a chemistry professor and a fellow of the Development Center, where he found the Cooperative Institute for Research in Envi- diversity of projects exceptionally stimu- E. BRIGHT WILSON AWARD ronmental Sciences. lating. “I’ve been on learning curves my IN SPECTROSCOPY Castleman moved to Penn State in 1982. whole career,” he says. “That’s been fun. He was elected to the National Academy You never get stale.” Sponsored by Coherent and ACS of Sciences and the American Academy of Some of the highlights of his tenure Arts & Sciences in 1998. with the company include his work with Receiving an award from ACS is an honor, but Castleman will present the award ad- the team that developed Siltem. This high- when that award carries the name of one’s dress before the Division of Physical temperature thermoplastic elastomer former mentor, it’s especially meaningful. Chemistry.—JYLLIAN KEMSLEY combines the fire-resistance of polyether- Such is the case for George W. Flynn, a

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professor of chemistry at Columbia Univer- physical understanding,” notes F. Fleming sity, she conducted research in isotope ef- sity, who is being honored with the E. Bright Crim, a chemistry professor at the Uni- fects, which she continued at Northwestern Wilson Award in Spectroscopy. Wilson, the versity of Wisconsin, Madison. “This ap- University and the Swiss Federal Institute of award’s namesake, was one of Flynn’s gradu- proach is the hallmark of a great scientist.” Technology, Zurich. ate thesis advisers. Flynn, 71, received a Lerman is head of Columbia College “Being honored by an B.S. from Yale University Chicago’s Institute for Science Education award in Wilson’s name is in 1960. He then studied & Science Communication, which she es- very special,” Flynn says. “I under Wilson and John D. tablished in 1991. She is a bridge builder on am particularly pleased to be Baldeschwieler at Harvard many levels. In 1973, she came to Columbia recognized for using spec- University, where he earned College, an arts and media-oriented school, troscopy to study molecular an M.A. in 1962 and a Ph.D. to establish a science department. She has dynamics in gases and scan- in 1965. After a postdoc at developed wide-ranging and innovative ap- ning probe methods to fol- FLYNN GEORGE OF COURTESY Massachusetts Institute of proaches to teaching science to nonscience low the atomic site behavior Technology, he joined the majors, for which she has received numer- of interfaces on surfaces.” Columbia faculty in 1967. ous awards and national and international The research that earned A member of the Na- recognition. Flynn this award involves tional Academy of Sciences One of her students was Fred Pienkos, work he started less than and the American Academy who says: “When I think about college, my a decade ago. It focuses on of Arts & Sciences, he has thoughts go immediately to Zafra and the using scanning tunneling mi- Flynn received numerous other integral role she played in my education croscopy (STM) to study the honors including the Her- and my life.” He was taking her class called structure of molecules adsorbed on surfac- bert P. Broida Award from the American “Ozone to Oil Spills.” To make the subject es. His research group has imaged numerous Physical Society in 2003 and the Presi- accessible to her students, Lerman encour- surface adsorbates—including synthetic dential Teaching Award from Columbia in aged them apply their creative backgrounds polypeptides and long-chain, functionalized 2000. In addition to overseeing some 40 to environmental science. “I was studying hydrocarbons—by using functional groups Ph.D. students during his career, Flynn is animation and photography, so partnering of the molecules as STM markers. also a proud grandfather. with a classmate, I created a five-minute The STM markers include sulfur and Flynn will present the award address be- animated short film about global warming,” bromine atoms and carboxyl groups, which fore the Division of Physical Chemistry.— Pienkos says. “The film won some recogni- have all been used to study the chirality SUSAN MORRISSEY tion from the school, and Zafra arranged for of molecules adsorbed at the interface me to fly with her to Princeton to screen the between a racemic mixture and a solid sur- work and talk about it with an environmen- face. Flynn’s research group has also used GEORGE C. PIMENTEL tal science class there. At the time, I knew it STM to probe chemical reactions of small AWARD IN CHEMICAL was a unique opportunity, but now, nearly organic halides on iron oxide surfaces in EDUCATION 20 years later, I marvel at Zafra’s commit- ultrahigh vacuum and the structure and ment to my education.” Pienkos is now a electronic properties of single sheets of Sponsored by Cengage Publishing and ACS visual effects supervisor with Eden FX, in graphite, known as graphene. Hollywood, Calif. He has won one Emmy In addition to Flynn’s work on interface “Zafra’s two missions in life—chemical Award and received five nominations. chemistry, his lab has also studied chemical education and scientific freedom and hu- Inspired by Lerman’s teaching, other stu- dynamics. Specifically, the group has looked man rights—really boil down to one: the dents have gone on to earn graduate degrees at molecular collisions that lead to chemical desire to allow everyone to achieve their in science, as well as the arts and media. reactions or energy exchange between mol- potential.” This testimonial from Amber S. Lerman is also the force behind the ecules. To do this, the lab developed a diode Hinkle, chair of the ACS Women Chemists grant money given for her programs and laser infrared absorption probe technique Committee and Bayer Ma- curriculum development, with a resolution of 0.0003 cm–1. terialScience quality lead including a grant to take “George Flynn’s work combines an for plastics manufacturing, several minority students unusual mixture of innovation and deep succinctly sums up why to Kenya in 2002, where she scientific insight,” says Nicholas J. Turro, Zafra J. Lerman is being gave science lectures. Labee- a chemistry professor at Columbia. The honored with this award. HAMEED LABEEBA ba Hameed, one of those stu- work for which Flynn is being honored, A native of Israel, Ler- dents who is currently work- Turro continues, “has provided funda- man received both B.Sc. ing on a graduate degree in mental understanding of and deep insight and M.Sc. degrees from art education, says Lerman into the structural and dynamic processes Technion—Israel Institute “gives students once-in-a- occurring at liquid-solid and vacuum-solid of Technology, in Haifa. In lifetime experiences.” interfaces and the mechanisms of chemical 1969, she received a Ph.D. in In parallel with her role as reactions taking place on surfaces.” chemistry from Weizmann an educator, Lerman’s role “The beauty of George’s work is that he Institute of Science, in as a bridge builder in human makes and interprets difficult measure- Rehovot. As a postdoctoral rights cannot be overlooked. ments always with an eye toward deep fellow at Cornell Univer- Lerman When she was named a fel-

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 32 JANUARY 18, 2010 low of the American Association for the of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and E. V. MURPHREE AWARD Advancement of Science in 2001, her cita- Josef Michl of the University of Colorado. C. IN INDUSTRIAL & tion read: “For extraordinary innovations Grant Willson, a professor at the University ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY in education, especially for nonscientists of Texas, Austin, calls their results “some of and the underprivileged, and for truly ex- the best work in the world in this area.” Sponsored by ExxonMobil Research & ceptional success in defending persecuted Computer chips continued to shrink, Engineering scientists throughout the world.” and after a stint in nonlinear optical mate- Lerman will present the award ad- rials, Miller helped IBM’s semiconductor Gregory N. Stephanopoulos, W. H. Dow dress before the Division of Chemical business again when it needed new dielec- Professor of Chemical Engineering & Bio- Education.—ARLENE GOLDBERG-GIST tric materials to block cross talk between technology at Massachusetts Institute of closely spaced circuit lines. He helped Technology, is being honored for his con- shepherd an IBM/Dow Chemical collabora- tributions to metabolic engineering. ACS AWARD FOR tion with academic partners that yielded “Greg Stephanopoulos has made out- CHEMISTRY OF porous SiLK, a low-dielectric-constant standing contributions to the synthesis of MATERIALS organic polymer marketed by Dow. new metabolic pathways for the produc- Miller was an early proponent of indus- tion of chemicals and fuels,” says Robert S. Sponsored by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. trial-academic collaboration, calling pub- Langer, a chemical engineering colleague licly for such research as far back as 1982. “I at MIT. “These efforts led to the definition Few places are left in industry where a sci- saw the evolution of industrial chemistry and advancement of metabolic engineer- entist can pursue good science for its own away from basic research,” ing as a new type of organic sake. IBM is one of those places, and he says, “and academics chemistry harnessing the Robert D. Miller has made the most of it. becoming isolated from power of microbial biosyn- Miller, 68, is manager of advanced organic technological problems thetic machinery for effi- materials at the IBM Almaden Research that really mattered to cient product synthesis.” Center in San Jose, Calif. An IBMer for 40 people.” Stephanopoulos, 59, has years, he has watched the evolution of mi- Since then, he observes, played a significant role in croelectronics and other advanced technol- the two sides have moved defining the field of metabol- ogies from one of the best seats in the house. closer. “Over the years, ic engineering, Langer says. Miller came to IBM by way of Lafayette science has become more “With his groundbreaking College, a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from interdisciplinary, and no book, ‘Metabolic Engineer- Cornell University, and a postdoc at Union one person has all the an- ing: Principles and Method- Carbide Research Institute. In 1969, when swers,” Miller says. STEPHANOPOULOS GREGORY OF COURTESY ologies,’ he established the Miller joined IBM’s Thomas J. Watson A desire to work with scientific and engineering Research Center in Yorktown Heights, others on things that matter fundamentals and thus laid N.Y., organic chemists were rare, but the has guided his research at Stephanopoulos the educational foundations company was trying to change that. “IBM IBM as well. Although Mil- of this new field. This book wanted to learn more about organic mate- ler could pursue the fundamental science of has created a new interface between chem- rials,” Miller recalls. his early days, he says he would miss “a huge ical engineering and the life sciences,” A few years into his tenure, IBM relo- opportunity for interdisciplinary interaction Langer says. In addition, Stephanopoulos is cated chemistry to the West Coast. Miller with really smart people.” the founding coeditor of the journal Meta- moved to San Jose, and for a while, he Indeed, Miller is still going strong, bolic Engineering. He also launched a series continued to pursue his interests in pho- heading an “absolutely exciting” IBM of conferences on metabolic engineering. tochemistry, strained molecules, theoreti- initiative on nanomedicine—polymeric Much of Stephanopoulos’ research cally interesting materials, and other small- materials for medical applications. Miller has focused on microorganisms’ basic molecule chemistry. But a considers himself fortu- metabolism, which he has then used to colleague, Jim Economy, nate to be working with top advance industrial processes. Whereas the eventually convinced him scientists on important hallmark of his research has been a deep that the future of chemistry issues such as health care, focus on metabolic fundamentals in micro- at IBM was in polymers. energy, food, and water. organisms, its impact has been felt across Miller embarked on re- “There are lots of really product categories ranging from specialty search in lithography and cool and interesting prob- chemicals (pharmaceutical intermediates), soon developed a photore- lems,” he says. “Why would bulk chemicals (amino acids), and even re-

sist sensitizer/polymer that MILLER ROBERT OF COURTESY I not do that?” newable fuels (ethanol), says Chaitan helped IBM shrink microchip Miller will present the Khosla, a professor of chemistry and chem- wiring dimensions. Work in award address before the ical engineering at Stanford University. resists led him to polysilanes, Division of Polymeric Stephanopoulos developed flux analy- radiation-sensitive materials Materials: Science & En- sis for use in metabolic networks and with interesting spectral and gineering at the fall 2010 demonstrated its utility in a number of ap- physical properties. He col- ACS national meeting in plications. For example, he used network laborated with Robert West Miller Boston.—MICHAEL MCCOY analysis and metabolic engineering to

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 33 JANUARY 18, 2010 AWARDS

identify new pathways for the biosynthesis Reaction Engineering from the American expert in quasicrystals and has authored of indandiol, a chiral precursor of the AIDS Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), definitive review papers covering the topic. drug Crixivan. By modifying the reactions the Charles Thom Award from the Society Thiel has also studied nucleation, in the bacterium that produces indandiol, for Industrial Microbiology, and the AIChE growth, and structure of thin metallic he increased the selectivity of the product Founders Award. He was elected to the Na- films. One of her group’s novel contribu- from 25% to more than 95%. tional Academy of Engineering in 2003 and tions in metal-film-growth dynamics is the Stephanopoulos received a bachelor’s de- as a fellow of the American Association for recognition that large metal clusters can gree in chemical engineering from National the Advancement of Science in 2005. diffuse as individual units. Technical University, in Athens, in 1973. He Stephanopoulos will present the award Another area of Thiel’s expertise is the received an M.S. in chemical engineering address before the Division of Biochemical structure and kinetics of water layers ad- from the University of Florida in 1975 and Technology.—CELIA ARNAUD sorbed on metal surfaces. Through clever a Ph.D., also in chemical engineering, from use of isotope methods and analytical tools the University of Minnesota in 1978. such as electron energy loss spectroscopy In 1978, he joined the chemical engineer- ARTHUR W. ADAMSON and infrared spectroscopy along with a de- ing faculty at California Institute of Tech- AWARD FOR tailed comparison of results obtained from nology. He was promoted to associate pro- DISTINGUISHED SERVICE those techniques, Thiel and coworkers have fessor in 1983. In 1985, he moved to MIT as a IN THE ADVANCEMENT helped researchers gain a better understand- professor of chemical engineering, where he OF SURFACE CHEMISTRY ing of water-surface interactions and dynam- has been since. From 2000 to 2005, he was ic processes in adsorbed water layers. the Bayer Professor of Chemical Engineer- Sponsored by ACS Thiel, 56, completed her undergradu- ing & Biotechnology at MIT. In 2006, he was ate education in chemistry at Macalester appointed to his current position. In the highly competitive and interdisci- College, in St. Paul, Minn., in 1975, and He has received many other honors and plinary field of surface science, Patricia A. received a Ph.D. degree in chemistry from awards, including the Marvin J. Johnson Thiel, distinguished professor of chemistry California Institute of Technology in 1981. Award from the American Chemical Soci- at Iowa State University and a senior chem- She then conducted research with chem- ety, the R. H. Wilhelm Award in Microbial ist at Ames Laboratory, stands out in her istry Nobel Laureate Gerhard Ertl at the & Biochemical Technology in Chemical colleagues’ view as a player at the top of her University of Munich before taking a posi- game. tion as assistant professor of chemistry at The late Theodore E. Madey, a chemistry Iowa State University in 1983. She served as C&EN and physics professor at Rutgers University, department chair from 1999 to 2002. Since described Thiel as “an outstanding surface 1991, Thiel has also been a staff scientist at WEBINAR ARCHIVES scientist—one of the most Ames Laboratory, where she respected in the country— has served as program direc- and a brilliant and imagina- tor for materials chemistry Access complete, archived tive physical chemist.” Thiel and as Science & Technology broadcasts covering the is also “very influential,” Division director. most current and resourceful says Miquel Salmeron of Thiel has published more topics affecting the chemical enterprise. Lawrence Berkeley Nation- than 250 articles in scholarly al Laboratory, “and a perfect books and peer-reviewed

To access the Archives go to: model for other scientists THIEL OF PATRICIA COURTESY journals and has been cited www.cen-online.org/webinar to follow.” in scientific papers well over Thiel’s scientific con- 7,000 times. She has served Either register or enter the email address previously used to tributions have deepened on the editorial and advisory register for a past C&EN webinar understanding in key areas boards of numerous journals, you have participated in. of surface science, such including Langmuir , Surface as the properties of quasi- Science, the Journal of Vacuum Past Webinars Include: crystals. These compounds, Thiel Science & Technology, and the “R-Group Virtual Screening: A New which include many alloys Journal of Physical Chemistry. CADD Capability for Lead of aluminum, differ from conventional crys- Among other honors, she has been Optimization,” sponsored by Tripos tals in that they are ordered but lack three- named a fellow of the American Physical “Outsourcing is a Key Pathway in dimensional periodicity. Society, the Institute of Physics, and the the Future of Drug Discovery,” Working with colleagues who have wide- American Vacuum Society. She has re- sponsored by AMRI ranging expertise, Thiel has elucidated ceived honorary degrees from scholarly or- quasicrystal surface structures and has ganizations in several countries, has served developed fundamental explanations for as a visiting professor in Japan and France, the remarkable surface properties exhib- and has been invited to lecture at some 200 ited by these compounds. Those properties institutions and scientific conferences. include striking oxidative stability, good Thiel will present the award address be- wear resistance, and extremely low fric- fore the Division of Physical Chemistry.— tion. Thiel is an internationally recognized MITCH JACOBY

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 34 JANUARY 18, 2010 PEOPLE

OBITUARIES his stepmother, Cathy; his stepfather, Tom the Army in 1943 and trained to be a me- Snouse; his sister, Jennifer; and his brother, teorologist. After his honorable discharge Merle A. Battiste, 76, professor emeritus Brendan. in 1944, he earned a bachelor’s degree in at the University of Florida, died unexpect- chemical engineering at Purdue University edly at his home in Gainesville, Fla., on Arthur N. Johnson, 97, a retired Parr Instru- and a doctorate in chemical engineering at Aug. 8, 2009. ment vice president, died on Nov. 18, 2009. the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Battiste received a B.S. degree in chem- Johnson earned a B.S. in chemistry from in 1956. istry from the Citadel, an M.S. degree in Augustana College, in Rock Island, Ill., in Luedeking then accepted a position in organic chemistry from Louisiana State 1934. the chemical engineering department at University, and a Ph.D. in organic chemis- He began his career working for Mo- Washington State University, remaining try from Columbia University in 1959. He line Water Works and Rock Island Water there as a professor for more than 25 years was Ronald Breslow’s Works. He joined Parr Instrument in Mo- before retiring in 1981. He was an emeritus first Ph.D. student. line, Ill., in 1947, remaining there until retir- member of ACS, joining in 1951. After conducting ing as vice president and technical director He was a member of St. James Episco- postdoctoral research in 1986. He was an emeritus member of pal Church, the Pullman Kiwanis, and the with Saul Winstein at ACS, joining in 1935. Whitman County Historical Society. the University of Cali- He was active at Trinity Lutheran He is survived by his wife of 57 years, fornia, Los Angeles, Church in Moline throughout his life and Leila; his daughters, Karen, Sylvia, Chris- and after a short stint volunteered at local hospitals. tine Gray, Barbara Crandall, and Helen in the Army, he joined He is survived by his daughters, Noreen Thomas; four grandchildren; and one the faculty at the Uni- Casson and Mary Sauer; his stepchildren, great-grandson. versity of Florida where he remained as a Elise Schilb, Fred-Larry Eihl, Marjorie professor of organic chemistry for 42 years, Buck, and Maggie Lancaster; his foster Joseph S. Mihina, 91, a retired G. D. Searle until retiring in 2004. daughter, Nil Turkseven; seven grandchil- research chemist, died on Aug. 19, 2009. Battiste’s research focused on the syn- dren; nine stepgrandchildren; and 21 great- Born in New York City, Mihina received thesis of novel molecular structures. He is grandchildren. His wife, Helen, whom he a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from New credited with more than 100 publications married in 1936, died in 1982. His wife, Elsa, York University in 1938. He was drafted and was known as a dedicated, passion- whom he married in 1983, died in 2007. into the Navy in 1943 and finished his tour ate teacher. Battiste was a Sloan Fellow, a on Okinawa at the end of World War II. He Fulbright Research Scholar, and an Erskine Edward F. Levy, 89, a retired cosmetic then earned an M.S. in physical chemistry Fellow. He was also an emeritus member of chemist, died on Nov. 28, 2009. in 1948 and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry in ACS, joining in 1959. Born in Minneapolis, Levy earned a 1950, both from Michigan State University. Battiste is survived by his wife, Jan; bachelor’s degree with distinction from the In 1951, after a postdoctoral stint at his sons, Mark and John; his stepdaugh- University of Minnesota in 1942 and a Ph.D. Northwestern University, Mihina joined ters, Tanya, Paula, and Tracey; and six in organic chemistry at the University of Searle in Skokie, Ill. There, he worked as a grandchildren. California, Los Angeles, in 1946. research chemist and later as a manager in From 1947 to 1974, Levy was a senior the chemical manufacturing department be- Warren L. DeLano, 37, founder of DeLano chemist at Gillette, in Boston, working on fore retiring in 1984. He held three patents. Scientific, died suddenly on Nov. 3, 2009. edge coatings for razors, shaving cream, An emeritus member of ACS, Mihina Born in Philadelphia, DeLano grew up in and other personal care products. For two joined the society in 1946. He was ac- Palo Alto, Calif. He received B.S. degrees in years afterward, he worked for W.R. Grace, tive in the Chicago Section and served computer science and molecular biophys- developing an environmentally safe spray on a number of committees. Mihina also ics and biochemistry in 1993 from Yale can for personal care products. Levy then volunteered in a number of community University, where he conducted structural joined Block Drug in Jersey City, N.J., re- organizations. biology research in the lab of Axel Brunger. maining there until retiring in 1987. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, DeLano earned a Ph.D. in biophysics Levy served as chairman of the New Bettye; his daughter, Karen Clifford; and at the University of California, San Fran- England Section of the Society of Cosmetic his son, Steve. cisco, in 1999, under James Wells. He then Chemists in 1977. He was an emeritus followed Wells to help launch Sunesis member of ACS, joining in 1943. He also Herman E. Schroeder, 94, a retired DuPont Pharmaceuticals. served as a volunteer for the International director of R&D for synthetic rubbers and He started DeLano Scientific in 2003 Service Corps in St. Vincent Island & the plastics, died on Nov. 28, 2009, in Green- to commercialize Pymol, his open-source Grenadines in 1990. ville, Del. molecular graphics software, which has Levy is survived by his wife, Florence; Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Schroeder been adopted by the pharmaceutical in- two daughters; and two grandchildren. earned an A.B. in 1936, an A.M. in 1937, and dustry worldwide. DeLano was a strong ad- a Ph.D. in organic chemistry in 1939, all vocate of freely available software and the Robert Luedeking, 85, professor emeritus from Harvard University. open-source movement. He was a member of chemical engineering at Washington After joining DuPont in 1938, Schroeder of ACS, joining in 2004. State University, Pullman, died on Oct. 6, conducted pioneering research, develop- He is survived by his wife, Beth Pehrson; 2009, after a brief illness. ing the first practical adhesive for bonding his mother, Margaret; his father, James Jr.; Born in York, Pa., Luedeking enlisted in rubber to nylon for B-29 bomber tires, dis-

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 35 JANUARY 18, 2010 PEOPLE

covering lightfast dyes for cotton, and lead- tion consultant. He authored 20 scientific len was a member of the National Academy ing the development of dyes for polyester articles and held 57 U.S. patents and several of Sciences and was named one of the 20th and acrylic fibers. He served as DuPont’s foreign patents. century’s best scientists by England’s In- director of R&D for synthetic rubbers and He was a member of numerous organi- ternational Biographical Center. plastics from 1963 until 1980. zations, including the New York Academy Van Tamelen is survived by his wife, Schroeder contributed to DuPont’s of Sciences, the Shevchenko Scientific So- Mary; his two daughters, Jane and development of numerous products, in- ciety, and several tobacco-related research Carey Haughy; his son, Peter; and five cluding Adiprene; Corfam; Lycra; Nordel, organizations. He was an emeritus member grandchildren. the first sulfur-curable ethylene propylene of ACS, joining in 1940. rubber; Hytrel thermoplastic polyether- Senkus is survived by both his first wife, George L. Zimmerman, 89, emeritus pro- ester; Viton and Kalrez fluoroelastomers; Emily, and his second wife, Ethel. He is fessor of chemistry at Bryn Mawr College, and Vamac ethylene acrylic elastomer. He survived by his sons, Neal, Bill, and David; died of complications from a stroke at his held 37 patents and published 40 papers. his daughter, Joanne Prior; his stepdaugh- home in Bryn Mawr, Pa., on Oct. 21, 2009. He served on advisory groups for numer- ters, Kathy Hylton and Trish Decker; six Born in Hershey, Pa., Zimmerman ous organizations and museums. Schroeder grandchildren; six stepgrandchildren; nine graduated from Swarthmore College in was honored by the International Institute great-grandchildren; and 10 step-great- 1941. While attending graduate school at of Synthetic Rubber Producers and received grandchildren. Harvard University the Charles Goodyear Medal from the ACS during World War II, Rubber Division in 1984. DuPont awarded Eugene E. van Tamelen, 84, an inter- he was recruited for him the Lavoisier Medal for Inspirational nationally known organic chemist and the Manhattan Project Research Leadership in 1992. He was an professor emeritus at Stanford University, at Columbia Univer- emeritus member of ACS, joining in 1942. died of cancer on Dec. 12, 2009. sity to help develop a He is survived by two sons, Edward Best known for the biologically inspired method for enriching and Peter; daughter Martha Lewis; seven syntheses of complex natural substances, and purifying uranium grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. van Tamelen made fundamental contribu- isotopes for the atom He was predeceased by his wife, Elizabeth, tions that bridged chemical disciplines, bomb. After the war, and daughter Nancy. connecting organic chemistry with inor- Zimmerman completed a Ph.D. in physical ganic, physical, and chemistry at the University of Chicago in Murray Senkus, 95, a retired R. J. Reynolds biological chemistry. 1948 under Nobel Laureate James Franck. Tobacco research director, died in Win- Born in Zeeland, Zimmerman then taught physical ston-Salem, N.C., on Nov. 12, 2009. Mich., van Tamelen chemistry at Massachusetts Institute of Born near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to received a bachelor’s Technology for two years before joining parents who had emigrated from what is degree from Hope the Bryn Mawr faculty in 1950. He was a now Ukraine, Senkus earned a master’s of College, Holland, Guggenheim Fellow from 1965 to 1966 at science degree in 1936 Mich., in 1947. He had Oxford University and University College from the University originally planned to London. In his research, he applied spec- of Saskatchewan. He carve out a career in troscopic methods to study mechanisms of then earned a Ph.D. automobile design but became interested photochemical isomerization of dyes. in chemistry from the in three-dimensional space at the molecu- After retiring in 1990, Zimmerman was a University of Chicago lar level after taking an organic chemistry visiting professor at Drexel University for in 1938. class. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in organic many years, collaborating on excited-state Senkus began his chemistry from Harvard University in 1950. studies of ruthenium oxide molecules. He career as a research Van Tamelen joined the University of was a retired ACS member who joined the chemist for Com- Wisconsin’s chemistry faculty, becoming a society in 1953. mercial Solvents in Terre Haute, Ind., con- full professor in 1959 and later being named He shared his love of both classical and tributing to World War II-related projects its Homer Adkins Professor of Chemistry. jazz clarinet with friends and students, and such as developing synthetic rubber and a He accepted a professorship at Stanford in he introduced Morris dancing, a form of process to stabilize penicillin so it could be 1962 and served as chairman of its chem- pre-Christian English folk dancing, to Bryn stored without refrigeration. istry department from 1972 to 1978. He Mawr College. He also sang in the Church Senkus became director of the chemical retired in 1987. of the Redeemer choir. division of the newly established research He published hundreds of papers and Zimmerman is survived by his wife of 51 department of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco in received numerous honors, including the years, Un-Jin Paik; his sons, Landis and Da- Winston-Salem in 1951. He was director of ACS Award in Pure Chemistry in 1961, the vid; his daughters, Louise Hoehl and Emily; research in 1964 and director of scientific Leo Hendrik Baekeland Award of the ACS and three grandchildren. affairs in 1977. He retired from the com- North Jersey Section in 1965, and the ACS pany in 1979. Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Or- Senkus then consulted for the Tobacco ganic Chemistry in 1970. He was a member SUSAN J. AINSWORTH writes Obituaries. Institute in Washington, D.C.; served as of ACS from 1950 to 1985. Obituary notices may be sent to s_ainsworth@ director of development for P. T. Djarum in The founding and longtime editor of the acs.org and should include a detailed Jakarta, Indonesia; and worked as a litiga- journal Bio-Organic Chemistry, van Tame- educational and professional history .

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 36 JANUARY 18, 2010 POSITIONS OPEN

SIGMA-ALDRICH, MIAMISBURG , OH PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST – STABLE ISOTOPE SYNTHESIS Must have a PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry with postdoctoral experience in organic synthesis and minimum 5 years of industrial experience in sta- ble isotope custom synthesis. Responsibilities will in- clude researching and developing new stable isotope Serving the Chemical, Life Sciences, and Laboratory Worlds labeled compounds such as 13C, D, 15N, 18O labeled hyperpolarized imaging reagents, fatty acids, steroids, monomer etc.; designing new methodology & strategy for multi-step synthesis of label compounds; improv- ing existing processes; performing and designing cus- Advertising Rate Information tom synthesis of stable isotope labeled compounds requested by our customers; training our production chemists; interacting with customers to solve techni- CLASSIFICATIONS TO SUBMIT A CLASSIFIED AD: E-mail cal issues. Sigma-Aldrich is an Equal Opportunity Em- Positions open, academic positions, situa- ads to C&ENRecruitmentAds@ acs. ployer. Apply: www.sigmaaldrich.com/careers , req. tions wanted, and directory section. org. Do not include any abbreviations. number is sial-00008327. C&EN will typeset ads according to ACS ACADEMIC POSITIONS ISSUANCE guidelines. All ads must be accompanied Published weekly every Monday. by either a purchase order number or a GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY’S Department of Chemistry invites applications for Assistant Profes- credit card number and a billing address. sor in Organic Chemistry. The full text advertisement, CLOSING DATE FOR CLASSIFIED ADS Purchase orders must allow for some de- including information about the department, facul- ty, and the complete position announcement with all Standard Set Ads—Friday, noon EST 17 gree of flexibility and/or adjustment. qualifications and application instructions, is available days prior to publication date. Display at http://cost.georgiasouthern.edu/chemistry/. CONDITIONS: Screening of applications begins February 5, 2010, and Ads—Monday, 2 weeks prior to publica- In printing these advertise- continues until the position is filled. Georgia Southern ments ACS assumes no obligations as to seeks to recruit individuals who are committed to ex-

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QUALITY JOBS, QUALITY CHEMISTS

WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 37 JANUARY 18, 2010 ACS Careers Helps Industry Recruit MEMBER OF THE TECHNICAL STAFF Top Scientific Talent ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND MODELING ExxonMobil Research and Engineering has an immediate opening for a Member of the Technical Staff in its Corporate Strategic Research laboratory located in Clinton, NJ. No matter what size company Candidates are sought to ll a key position in the Corporate Strategic Research laboratory of ExxonMobil you are recruiting for, Research and Engineering in the area of Environmental Science and Modeling. A strong background in environmental science, systems modeling and computational science/engineering is essential. In addition, a ACS Careers is your best and background in life cycle assessment (LCA) tools/methodologies is preferred. The successful candidate will help develop and advance our internal capabilities in the areas of environmental impact modeling. They will most cost effective source for develop metrics to characterize the environmental performance of products and processes via collaboration identifying, interviewing, and with the external community. They will also support internal and external research efforts to develop improved LCA methods that integrate advanced models/concepts such as multi-objective optimization, optimization hiring top scientists at all levels under uncertainty, decision analysis and cost-benet analysis. Additionally, they will contribute to the design and execution of life cycle inventories and impact assessments for a range of products and processes across and areas of specialization. ExxonMobil’s chemical and petroleum business areas. The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate strong scientic leadership within both the Hiring managers use ACS Careers corporation and the external scientic community. Strong communication skills are essential, as collaboration with other science areas is critical for success. A PhD in engineering (chemical, environmental, mechanical), to recruit thousands of scientists environmental science, physical chemistry, physics or similar eld is required. Candidates with all levels of experience will be considered. with experience in areas including: ExxonMobil’s Corporate Strategic Research (CSR) laboratory is a dynamic and exciting place to work. CSR ֡֠Research, basic is located in scenic western New Jersey, about an hour west of New York City and 45 minutes northwest of Princeton. Within CSR, active research programs exist in all areas of the company’s business and cut across ֡֠Product development the traditional elds of chemical engineering, materials science, chemistry, physics, geoscience and mechanical engineering. Interdisciplinary research is the norm, and close ties are maintained with the academic and national ֡֠Research, applied laboratory communities through publication and presentation of results. Collaborations with the external scientic community are encouraged. ֡֠Process development ExxonMobil offers an excellent working environment and a competitive compensation and benets package. ֡֠Laboratory Please submit your cover letter and resume to our website at www.exxonmobil.com/ex and apply to Environmental Science and Modeling. ֡֠Teaching EXXONMOBIL IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER ֡֠Analysis With more than 10,000 active job seekers and 8,000 searchable resumes, ACS Careers will connect SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY POSTDOCTORAL you to candidates with the right FELLOWSHIP (SBPF) experience, education, and specialization. Nanyang Technological University University of California, www.acs.org/careers Berkeley

Nanyang Technological University and University of California, Berkeley are “DuPont has used ACS Careers to post jointly offering Synthetic Biology Postdoctoral Fellowship (SBPF) to outstanding our job openings and search résumés for RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING RECRUITMENT graduate research scientists at postdoctoral level to support their full-time research efforts. SBPF provides a unique educational and research opportunity for highly over 4 years. We find ACS to be a valuable qualified, doctoral scientists to advance their scholarship in synthetic biology at recruitment resource and would Nanyang Technological University, and in Professor Jay Keasling’s laboratory at University of California, Berkeley (http://cheme.berkeley.edu/faculty/keasling). recommend it to any organization looking Upon successful completion of the program, outstanding fellows may be considered for top talent in the fields of research, for a tenure-track faculty position at the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University. chemistry, and science.” Synthetic biology is the engineering and manipulation of microorganisms to contain Shannon Freeze-Flory multiple genes so as to enable them to work together for the production of a desired product. Compared to synthetic chemistry, synthetic biology can potentially produce a Manager, Recruitment and Selection chemical, such as a drug, much more quickly, in few steps, economically and with DuPont less toxic waste products. Synthetic biology is envisioned to be able to produce myriad compounds applicable such as drugs, biofuels, smart biomaterials, implantable continuous biosensors, and therapeutic vectors. In particular, SBPF’s research projects will focus on, but not limited to, engineering microbes to produce valuable fuels and developing foundational tools for synthetic biology. The fellowships are tenable for up to 3 years. Successful applicants will be offered attractive remuneration packages. Airfare and additional subsistence allowance will be provided during the research attachment at University of California, Berkeley. The fellowships are awarded based on previous academic and research accomplishments. Interested, qualified applicants are invited to fill out the application form obtainable from http://www.ntu.edu.sg/ohr/Career/CurrentOpenings/ ResearchOpenings/Documents/Researchform.doc. The completed application form with detailed curriculum vitae, sample research publications, supporting documents (e.g. degree certificates and transcripts), and three references may be submitted by email to: Professor Chi Bun Ching Nanyang Technological University School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Block N1.2-1-10, 62 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637459 Email: [email protected] Phone: +65-6790-6731 Fax: +65-6794-9220 www.ntu.edu.sg

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WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 39 JANUARY 18, 2010 newscripts OUR TOWN IS ELEMENTAL

hile navigating his way through gold mine in the Western Hemisphere until Kentucky a few years back, it was shuttered in 2001. Thomas notes W Nicholas C. Thomas was sur- that you’ll have to suppress your chemical prised to fi nd two noble gases on his road instincts if you want to fi t in with the locals, atlas. The eastern region of the Bluegrass whose pronunciation of the town’s name State is home to the villages of Krypton rhymes with “seed.” and Neon, about 50 miles apart. Thomas, a Blink and you might miss the 1.2-acre chemistry professor at Auburn University, patch of the Show-Me State known as in Montgomery, Ala., wondered what other Lithium. There’s still a sign to indicate the ELEMENTALLY NAMED HAMLETS might tiny, now uninhabited Missouri town. be scattered about. “I guess I’ve always been Many of the towns listed in Thomas’ interested in fi nding examples of chemistry paper derive their names from local mineral in unusual places,” he tells Newscripts. deposits, but the town of Calcium, N.Y., By plugging the elements into the is an exception. As it turns out, Thomas database of the U.S. Board on Geographic had to be something of a sleuth to learn Names’ website (geonames.usgs.gov), how this hamlet of 3,000 residents got its Thomas was able to fi nd a wealth of towns name. Very little information about Calcium named for various elements. “Gold,” for ex- is readily available, he tells Newscripts. It ample, appears in the name of some 2,000 was only when he placed a cold call to the locations throughout the country. Calcium Community Church that Thomas Thomas published a sampling of the was able to learn the history of the town’s elemental towns he discovered, along with name from the local pastor. their histories, in the Journal of Chemical In the early 1900s, a local resident Education ( 2009, 86, 181). “Understand- named Madison Cooper successfully pe- ing the origin behind the naming of these titioned to have the town’s name changed towns provides students with an interesting from Sanford’s Corner. It was a somewhat way to connect chemistry with U.S. history extreme move born out of the frustration of and geography,” he notes. having his mail frequently sent by mistake Travelers to Bryce Canyon National Park to Stanfordville, N.Y. Cooper worked in cold might consider taking a 40-mile detour storage and refrigeration and chose to north to Antimony, Utah. Although it’s now name his hometown for the calcium chlo- a quiet ranching and vacation community, ride used in his trade. Also on the plus side Antimony was once home to Butch Cassi- regarding his postal problems: No other dy. The town was originally named Coyote town in the country was named Calcium. when it was settled by cattle ranchers, but In the course of his investigation,

the discovery of stibnite—Sb2 S 3 — Thomas got to thinking

eventually led to an antimony- mining operation

and a new name. ANDY SMITH ANDY

Barium R

Springs, N.C., MICHAEL HUNTER was once known as Poison Springs because cattle re- fused to drink from Y the local mineral THEODORE GRA Elementville: Boron, Calif.; Carbon, pools. That old name might have Ill.; and Sulphur, La. come as a shock to customers of a company known as the that it might be fun to take an Great Human Repair Shop, elemental road trip—in his which sold the local waters Chevy Cobalt, of course. The as a health tonic throughout idea, however, was quickly shot the country and overseas until down by his wife. the end of World War I. With a nod toward the alchemical, Lead, S.D., is home to BETHANY HALFORD wrote this week’s the Homestake mine, which was the column. Please send comments and largest, deepest, and most productive suggestions to [email protected].

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