Inside Volume 71, No.1, April 2007 Articles and Features 2 NZIC April News 5 IC07 - Hobart 6 Molecular Materials Research within the MacDiarmid Institute Keith C. Gordon 9 Soft Matter in the MacDiarmid Institute Kathryn M. McGrath 14 Recent Chemistry of Advanced Inorganic and Hybrid Materials at the MacDiarmid Institute Kenneth J. D. MacKenzie 19 The Chemical History of Anaesthesia Joanna Wojnar 26 Obituary – Denis James Hogan 27 Denis Hogan on Chemical Education – The Last Comments 29 NZIC Conference – Rotorua Regular Columns 24 Conference Calendar 25 Patent Proze 32 New Zealand Science Scene 32 Chemistry Behind the News Advertisers Index Inside Front Cover Biolab Back Cover Phenomenex Inside Back Cover ChemEd007 5 IC07 Conference 1 Chemistry in New Zealand April 2007 New Zealand Institute of Chemistry supporting chemical sciences April News NZIC News NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY 75th Anniversary – NZIC is 75 in 2007 NEWS cially shellfish toxins. This outstand- regard with which both Murray and Members will be aware of the death ing achievement, the first to a New John are held by their international of Victoria alumnus and Nobel Lau- Zealander, recognises an outstanding community. reate, Professor Alan MacDiarmid on synthetic chemist at the top of her field. The annual P B D De La Mare Me- February 7 from the numerous media morial Lecture on constructing reports (see earlier in this issue also). Dr Sheila Woodgate received a rich- quaternary carbon stereocenters: As announced in the December is- ly-deserved University Innovation in methods development and natural sue, the 2007 75th Jubilee President Teaching Award in recognition of her products total synthesis was given in is Jan Wikaira of the University of development of Best Choice. This early February by Prof Larry Over- Canterbury. Bill Henderson (Waika- computer aided learning resource is man (UC-Irvine). The event was to) and John Spencer (VUW) are the now gaining national and interna- well attended, despite it conflicting Vice-Presidents. Branch Chairper- tional attention at both high school with the AMN-3 conference, which sons and officers can be found on and university levels. Dr Jenny Web- Profs Bowmaker, Cooney, Metson the NZIC web site www.nzic.org.nz. ster Brown has been promoted to and Williams and Drs Kilmartin, Henceforth, this Journal will be pub- Associate Prof in recognition of her Miskelly, and Travas-Sejdic attended lished quarterly from January 2008; research on the fate of trace metals together with five PhD students and the traditional December will now be in the aqueous environment. Dr Siew postdoctoral fellows. mailed in the New Year. Young Quek has been promoted to Senior Lecturer in recognition of her Prof Terry Collins, (Carnegie Mellon – Pittsburgh) founder of the Institute NZIC Prizes contributions to our Food Science programme. for Green Oxidation Chemistry, was The closing date for the 2007 East- given a Distinguished Alumni Award erfield Medal, the HortResearch A/Prof Penny Brothers has joined from the University in late February. Prize, the Nufarm Prize for Indus- the Editorial Board of the Chemical Terry gained his PhD working with trial and Applied Chemistry, and the Communications for a term of three Warren Roper. As part of the ceremo- Denis Hogan Chemical Education years. She attended her first meeting nies, Terry gave a thought-provoking Award is 30 June with the Honorary of the Board in Brussels in February lecture on green chemistry - sustain- General Secretary. Full details for – via the IC07 Inorganic meeting in ing a high technology civilisation these and the Australian Corrosion Hobart and a multi-day hike in the earlier in the week. Another former Association and the NZIC Arthur C hills of Tasmania! Dr Cather Simpson student receiving international recog- Kennett Memorial Award (also 30 has joined the Department from Case nition is Prof Chris Reed (UC-Riv- June) are provided on the web site: Western Reserve University (Cleve- erside) who was awarded the NSFs www.nzic.org.nz land, Ohio) in a joint appointment Special Creativity Award for his re- with Physics and the Science Faculty search accomplishments and their BRANCH NEWS and will be establishing a laser spec- broad impact on both organic and in- troscopy facility. organic chemistry. AUCKLAND th Chemistry Department - University The XII International Sympo- David Williams and Jadranka Tra- of Auckland sium on Marine Natural Products vas-Sejdic received a Vice-Chancel- (MaNaPro 12), co-chaired by Profs lor’s Development Grant to support a NZIC offers its congratulation to Murray Munro and John Blunt postdoctoral fellow and development Prof Margaret Brimble named as (Canterbury) with an organizing of a modular clean room facility. This the Asia-Pacific Laureate in the 2007 committee comprised of Brent Copp will allow a range of new micro-fab- L’Oreal-UNESCO Awards For Wom- (Auckland), Peter Northcote (VUW) rication capabilities to be established en in Science. Margaret was present- and Michèle Prinsep (Waikato) was in support of several research pro- ed with the award at the UNESCO a resounding success. Held in Queen- grammes. headquarters in Paris on 22 February stown in early February, it attracted for her contribution to the synthesis over 200 participants from around the Shane Lal has been awarded an Hon- of complex natural products, espe- world and was a testament to the high ored Student Award by the Ameri- 2 Chemistry in New Zealand April 2007 can Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS). lence in research in chemical scienc- BIC will be a virtual centre that con- Made annually to 8-10 students who es. Amy Zhang received the NZFGW centrates on regional infrastructure wish to attend the AOCS Exposi- Sadie Balkind Award and Jared Pan- around niche specialization to drive tion and Congress, Shane is the 4th ther the best seminar prize at the 14th cross-disciplinary research in bio- PhD student supervised by Charm- RACI Analytical and Environmental technology, particularly in medical ian O’Connor to attended an AOCS R&D Topics Conference in Wollon- and veterinary applications and nano- Congress and be honoured by this gong. At the recent RACI Organic technology. The new instruments will prestigious award. At the 23rd NZ and Physical Chemistry Conference enable the BIC to bring critical mass Conference on Microscopy Sajith in Adelaide, the Australian Wine Re- to the region’s key chemistry and bio- Wimalaratne and Lorna Luo each search Institute Prize for the best stu- logical capabilities in these fields. won a Young Microscopist Student dent poster relating to natural prod- Scholarship sponsored by Micros- ucts was won by Sarah Lundy. Comings and Goings copy NZ. Roshita Ibrahim won the In late November the Department University prizes have gone to Thom- best poster award presentation know- hosted over 40 Science Technicians as Lechte (NZIC best 200-level stu- ing about their anatomy can help ex- from South Island schools in an event dent), Amy Zhang (Jack Fergusson plain the texture of plant foods. organised by Rebecca Hurrell of Prize for 300-level labs), Wanting Outreach. Bruce Reid, Jan Wikaira Jiao (Haydon Prize for 300-level), CANTERBURY and Alistair Duff gave presentations David Garrett and James Bull (C E The Canterbury Branch started the on health and safety in laboratories Fenwick Prizes for 400-level), Muti- year by having two new students to and showed Technicians how the ta Klanchantra (Cuth J Wilkins Prize join the committee – Justine Cottam Department has worked to comply for an MSc student), Jennifer Bur- and Aidan Harrison. with its Code of Practice, in terms of gess (Ralph H. Earle Seminar Prize prep room and lab layout. The feed- - PhD), and Jennifer Gadd (Gregory back was overwhelmingly positive. Chemistry Department - Univer- S.C. Hii Prize - PhD). sity of Canterbury Schools, currently working towards Emelyn Tan (who worked on As- implementing the draft Code, have Andrew Abell has accepted a posi- sembly of Organic Molecules on to limited training and support avail- tion at Adelaide University and will Carbon Surfaces under the super- able. be leaving Canterbury in the near fu- vision of Alison Downard), Sonia ture. He has also been appointed to Erskine Fellow Tom Simpson was van der Sar and Ben Perston have the honorary editorial board of Per- here until early April teaching aspects completed their PhD degrees. Sonia spectives in Medicinal Chemistry that of biosynthetic pathways in natural worked on the chemistry of fungal publishes articles combining aspects products chemistry at 300 and 400- natural products (Murray Munro of commentaries and reviews, allow- level biochemistry and biological and John Blunt) and Ben on infrared ing medicinal chemists to discuss chemistry. Michael Buback (Göttin- reflection absorption spectrometry drug design without the necessity of gen University) visited for six weeks and chemometrics for quantitative revealing proprietary information. from mid-February teaching techni- analysis of trace pharmaceutical on cal high pressure process chemistry surfaces (Peter Harland and Bryce Drs Vladimir Golovko and Paul to CHEM 363 and free-radical po- Williamson); Sonia has accepted an Kruger have accepted positions in lymerization to CHEM 464. Visit- Humboldt Fellowship with Prof Jo- the Department and expect to join us ing Students include: Fabian Gün- ern Piel (Bonn). towards the middle of the year. We zler (Göttingen) working with Greg have also welcomed back Dr Ma- Chemistry, other UC Departments Russell, Sebastian Reichau (Köln) rie Squire as Technician in Charge and local CRI’s, are a key partners with Emily Parker for Honours, and of Instrumental Services. Dr Chris in the newly formed regional Bio- Christian Geidel (Chemnitz) with Fitchett is back for the first semester molecular Interaction Centre (BIC). Owen Curnow. of 2007. Funding ($1 M) for the Centre comes Alan Happer retired at Christmas. from the fourth and final round of the Congratulations to Peter Harland The retirement function had a good TEC’s Innovation and Development who was awarded a 2006 UC Teach- attendance from friends, family and Fund (IDF), which aims to foster in- ing Award.