ISSN 0110-5566 (Print) ISSN 2624-1161 (Online) Volume 82, No.4, October 2018 Obituary: Andrew Martin Brodie PhD (Cant.), DSc, FNZIC, CChem, FRSC, 1945 — 2018 New chemical space for the discovery of bioactive compounds Green chemistry project aims to create lipids for nutraceuticals The recovery of precious metals from electronic waste All that glitters is not gold: manuka honey and the issue of authenticity The chemistry of gin and tonic Obituary: Vincent Richard Gray, FNZIC, 1922 — 2018 Structure prediction for bottom-up graphene nanoribbon assembly Some unremembered chemists: women pioneers Published on behalf of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry in January, April, July and October. The New Zealand Institute of Chemistry Publisher Incorporated Rebecca Hurrell PO Box 13798 Email: [email protected] Johnsonville Wellington 6440 Advertising Sales Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Printed by Graphic Press Editor Dr Catherine Nicholson Disclaimer C/- BRANZ, Private Bag 50 908 The views and opinions expressed in Chemistry in New Porirua 5240 Zealand are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of the publisher, the Editorial Phone: 04 238 1329 Board or the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry. Mobile: 027 348 7528 Whilst the publisher has taken every precaution to Email: [email protected] ensure the total accuracy of material contained in Chemistry in New Zealand, no responsibility for errors or omissions will be accepted. Consulting Editor Emeritus Professor Brian Halton Copyright School of Chemical and Physical Sciences The contents of Chemistry in New Zealand are subject Victoria University of Wellington to copyright and must not be reproduced in any PO Box 600, Wellington 6140 form, wholly or in part, without the permission of the Publisher and the Editorial Board. Email: [email protected] Contents Volume 82, No.4, October 2018 Articles and features 164 New chemical space for the discovery of bioactive compounds Daniel J. Foley 167 Opening of the Rutherford Regional Science and Innovation Centre (RRSIC) 169 Green chemistry project aims to create lipids for nutraceuticals 171 The recovery of precious metals from electronic waste Robert W. Staniland 173 All that glitters is not gold: manuka honey and the issue of authenticity Darren A. Saunders, Sarah Molyneux 178 The chemistry of gin and tonic Ian C. Shaw 182 Structure prediction for bottom-up graphene nanoribbon assembly Daniel M. Packwood 192 Some unremembered chemists: women pioneers Brian Halton Other columns 150 From the President 188 Book review 151 April news 198 Letter to the editor 162 Obituary: Andrew Martin Brodie 200 Dates of note 163 Pacifichem 2020 204 Author index 181 Obituary: Vincent Richard Gray 205 Subject index 149 Chemistry in New Zealand October 2018 Comment from the President Welcome to the October issue of Chemistry in New Zea- land. The new NZIC website is now fully operational, thanks to the hard work of Joanna Dowle and Paul Plieg- er, and many members have already used it to renew their membership. There are still members who have not renewed, so if this is because of issues with using the website please contact Joanna Dowle (nzic.office@gmail. com). There are more changes afoot at NZIC as our long serving From the President Honorary Treasurer, Associate Professor Colin Freeman, has indicated that he will step down from the role at the end of this year. Council and I thank Colin for his long and distinguished service to NZIC. This means that NZIC will need a new Honorary Treasurer for 2019. If you are finan- cially minded and willing to help (or know of a member who is) please get in touch with myself, Joanna Dowle or the incoming president Dr Sarah Masters. Emeritus Professor Brian Halton is also stepping down from his role as Consulting Editor for Chemistry in New Zealand. Professor Halton has been associated with NZIC for many years and held a variety of roles within the Insti- tute. He has provided exemplary service to NZIC. Council and I thank Professor Halton for all he has done for NZIC and wish him well. In sad news, Emeritus Professor Andrew Brodie passed away in August. Professor Brodie was a highly respected The deadline for submitting a research article to the spe- member of the chemistry community, was the President cial issue of Chemistry – An Asian Journal that will focus of NZIC in 2004 and was awarded the NZIC Chemical Sci- on chemistry in New Zealand is coming up (Friday 30 No- ences prize in 2007. Andrew’s obituary is in this issue of vember 2018). I hope many of you will consider submit- Chemistry in New Zealand and on behalf of the NZIC I ting some work. want to pass on our condolences to his family and friends. Finally, Christmas is fast approaching and if you know of The 2018 NZIC awards were voted on at the recent Coun- people who are interested in chemistry then a copy of cil meeting. Continuing the trend from recent years there Scientific Sleuthing (http://clerestorypress.co.nz/scientif- were many excellent nominees for all of the awards ic-sleuthing/) might make an excellent Christmas pres- which suggests that chemistry in New Zealand is current- ent. ly in a good state. However, this made the deliberations James Crowley very difficult. This year the Shimadzu Prize for Industrial NZIC President and Applied Chemistry went to Mr Darren Saunders from ESR in Christchurch. The Denis Hogan Chemical Education Award sponsored by ABA Books was award- ed to Dr David Warren (Department of Chemistry, Uni- Erratum versity of Otago). The Maurice Wilkins Centre Prize for In the July 2018 issue it was incorrectly stated in the Chemical Science was awarded to Antony Fairbanks President’s Report and in the Auckland Branch News that (School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of Distinguished Professor Margaret Brimble was elected Canterbury). Congratulations to all the award winners. FRSNZ. Professor Brimble has of course been a Fellow As I stated in a previous President’s column, 2019 is the of the Royal Society Te Aparangi for many years already, 150th anniversary of Dmitri Mendeleev’s first report of having been elected FRSNZ in 2001. Margaret’s most re- the periodic table and will be the International Year of the cent achievement was being made a Fellow of the Royal Periodic Table of Chemical Elements (IYPT 2019, https:// Society (FRS) this year, becoming the first New Zealand- iupac.org/united-nations-proclaims-international-year- based female and the first organic chemist to be elected periodic-table-chemical-elements/). This represents a FRS. The correct information was supplied by the contrib- huge opportunity to get chemistry out into the public utors and the editor apologises for this error. The correct- eye. So I hope everyone within NZIC has been thinking ed electronic version of the July 2018 issue is available on about events we could hold during 2019 to publicise our the NZIC website. discipline and the Periodic Table. 150 Chemistry in New Zealand October 2018 New Zealand Institute of Chemistry News supporting chemical sciences October News AUCKLAND Professor Juliet Gerrard has recently to become the second Vice-Chancel- become the second Prime Minister’s lor of Massey University, starting in University of Auckland Chief Science Advisor after Professor 1983 and retiring in 1995. Neil’s main Peter Gluckman. At the announce- physical legacy is the establishment Welcome ment of Juliet's new role, the Prime of the Massey Albany campus. But Dr Rebecca Deed has been appoint- Minister talked about the value of his influence on academic colleagues ed as a lecturer in wine science. She having scientists inform policy and was also significant, as reflected for has a background in plant molecular the advantage to New Zealand of example in two current Vice-Chan- science and wine microbiology, with having a network of science advisors cellors (Professor Stuart McCutch- a PhD in biological sciences from the embedded in government ministries. eon from the University of Auckland University of Auckland. Her thesis Juliet stated that she saw key parts of and Professor Grant Guilford from investigated the effect of low tem- her role as earning trust of the wider Victoria University of Wellington) perature fermentation on the tran- community in scientific advice, mak- attending his funeral, both having scriptome of wine yeast and the ing science accessible, and ensuring benefitted from Neil’s leadership production of yeast-derived wine people appreciated both the rel- and advice, along with Distinguished aromas. After graduating in 2013, evance and the limitations of scien- Professor Ted Baker, whose PhD re- Rebecca worked as a technician to tific advice. She noted that this could search was co-supervised by Neil. develop improved commercial yeast be termed “social license to operate strains for the NZ wine industry. (SLO)”. A recent article in the Journal Events From 2014-2018, Rebecca became of the Royal Society Te Aparangi de- On 6 July the 2nd annual University involved in the University's wine sci- fines that term in the following way: of Auckland mass spectroscopy sym- ence teaching programme, lecturing posium showcased a diverse range “An SLO is granted based on commu- in viticulture, wine microbiology and of applied and fundamental mass nicating the knowledge, metrics and sensory evaluation, while working on spectrometry research from over- predictive basis for deciding if some- postdoctoral research with Dr Bruno seas and across the university. Key- thing is worthwhile. This requires Fedrizzi in the School of Chemical note speakers included Professor trust. Trust is brought about by ro- Sciences, centred on unravelling the Brett Nixon (University of Newcastle, bust and understandable reporting; biosynthesis of volatile sulfur com- Australia) investigating male fertility a sense that the system is fair, there pounds in wine.