Chemical Bond - stlacs.org

Chemical

Bond

Volume 54Number 1

January, 2003

St. Louis Section, American Chemical Society

Marie Sherman’sSalute to Excellence“Chemistry is pHun”

Chemical BOND

From the ChairIt is mid-December as I sit down

to write the “Incoming Chair’sMessage” for the January 2003Chemical Bond. I’ll bet this was thetime of year when each new chairwondered “Why did I agree to dothis?!” My thoughts on this are: alapse in sanity; a surge of guilt; acosmic ray to the brain; and, “goodquestion—why the %$^&* did Iagree to do this?” Lisa musthave asked me on a very goodday.

In addition, though, are mythoughts that my experienceswith the St. Louis Sectionhave (for the most part) beenenjoyable and interesting. Ihave really liked the WomenChemists’ lunches—meetinglocal women chemists andmeeting the speakers. I haveenjoyed attending the St.Louis Award and MidwestAward ceremonies—we havemany, many accomplishedchemists in the local section. Itruly like working with chil-dren at schools and talkingwith them at the Career AwarenessFair. I am impressed with the qual-ity and number of activities thatthe section supports. So thus it isthat I will be the new section chair,with all the hope, expectations,and paperwork (!!!) that a new yearbrings, as the St. Louis Sectioncommences its 96th year on Janu-ary 1, 2003.

The section will begin the yearon solid footing. Despite the stalledeconomy, section membership con-tinues to increase—we have over1800 members—providing solid fi-nancial backing for the section’s ac-tivities. The poor stock market,however, has taken a bite out of the

endowments that support the St.Louis Award and the MidwestAward—plans to seek additionalfunding are being considered forthis coming year. Have we usedour resources and talents well? Ibelieve the answer is decidedly“yes.” We have eight topicalgroups, nine professional activitiesgroups, an active Education Com-mittee with numerous subcommit-tees that organize outreach

activities for students and the com-munity, and we sponsor (andco-sponsor) numerous awards forhigh school students, high schoolteachers, college students, and pro-fessional chemists working inhigher education, government,and industrial labs. The St. LouisSection is recognized within theACS as an active, innovative localsection.

If you are already active in theSt. Louis Section, I thank you andlook forward to working with youand hearing about your activities.If you would like to become (more)

Leah O’Brien, 2003 St Louis Section Chair

see From the Chair, p. 9

January, 2003

Chemical BondVolume 54 No. 1 January, 2003

The Chemical Bond is published in January through May and September through Decem-

ber by the St. Louis Section–American Chemical Society. It is mailed free of charge to members

of the section at their address on file at ACS National Headquarters. Changes of address for

members will be made automatically upon notification to National ACS Headquarters; send

old and new address with zip codes to ACS Subscription Service Department, 1155 16th St.

N.W., Washington, DC 20036 or visit chemistry.org, log in, and go to Update my Profile. Allow

eight weeks for change to take effect.

The domestic subscription rate for non-members/affiliates is $8.00 per year. Subscription

orders and changes of address for non-members/affiliates should be mailed to Editorial Pro-

duction Office, 125 West Argonne Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63122 or e-mailed to the Editor.

Editor Eric Ressner 314-962-6415 (H)314-286-6600 x2199 (O)[email protected]

Advertising Manager Sue Saum [email protected]

Business Manager Donna Friedman [email protected]

Staff Writer John Bornmann [email protected]

World Wide Web http://www.umsl.edu/~acs

Webmaven Lisa Balbes [email protected]

Correspondence, letters to the Editor, etc., should be sent toSt. Louis Section–American Chemical Society

125 West Argonne Drive, St. Louis, MO 63122

Copyright 8 2003 American Chemical Society and the St. Louis Section–ACS

Inth

isis

sue 2 Message from the Chair, Leah O’Brien

4 Meetings and Seminars

6 Letters, Words & More: You’ve Got Some Nerve

8 Continuity Dinner in words & pictures

10 Project SEED announcement; Bond Briefs

12 Henry Godt Memorial Lecture transcript

15 Advertise and reach over 1,800 area chemists

Chemical BOND

Board of Directors

St. Louis Section–ACS Board ofDirectors meets the second Thurs-day of each month, usually at theAlumni Center, UM–St Louis.Meetings are open to all members,and all are encouraged to attend.Elected officers and chairs of majorcommittees have the right to vote;others in attendance have voicebut no vote.

Date: January 9Social hour: 5:30 pmDinner: 6:30 pmBusiness meeting: 7:15 pm

Future meetings: Feb 13; Mar 13

Saint Louis University

Seminars start at 3:30 pm in Room204 Macelwane Hall, except asnoted. Refreshments follow. Formore information, contact PaulJelliss, [email protected].

University of Missouri–St. Louis

Refreshments at 3:45; seminars at4 pm in 451 Benton Hall. For fur-ther information, contact ProfKeith Stine, 314-516-5346,[email protected]

Monday, Jan 13Dr. Bruce Fegley

Washington UniversityChemistry of Volcanic Eruptions on

Jupiter’s Satellite Io

Monday, Jan 27Dr. Timothy C. SteimleArizona State University

Zeeman and Stark SpectroscopicStudies of Transition Metal Con-

taining Radicals

Monday, Feb 3Dr. Michael Greenlief

University of Missouri–ColumbiaAttachment of Organic Molecules at

Semiconductor Interfaces

Washington UniversitySeminars are in McMillen 311 at4 pm unless otherwise noted. Cof-fee is available 20 minutes prior tothe talk, and refreshments follow.For information, contact Thomas PVaid, [email protected]

Monday, Jan 6Dr Xi Chen

Neose TechnologiesGlycoscience: An Integration of

Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry,and Biotechnology

Tuesday, Jan 7Dr Jeffrey Bode

Tokyo Institute of TechnologyTBA

Thursday, Jan 9Dr Sergey Savinov

Penn State UniversityMolecular Engineering at the Interface

of Chemistry and Biology:from Orbital Effects to

Molecular Recognition and Catalysis

January, 2003

Tuesday, Jan 14Dr Vladimir BirmanColumbia University

Pt I: Application of the HeckCyclization Methodology to

the Synthesis of GeissochizinePt II: The Total Synthesis of

(�)-Merrilactone A

Thursday, Jan 16Prof Robert Waymouth

Stanford UniversityTBA

Monday, Jan 27 (CBI Seminar)Prof David Tirrell

California Inst. of TechnologyTBA

Thursday, Jan 30Prof James M Mayer

University of WashingtonTBA

Computational ChemistryDiscussion Group

Meetings are held at Tripos, Inc.,1699 S. Hanley Road. Refreshmentsat 4:30, seminar at 5 pm. For moreinformation, or if you would like tospeak at a future meeting, contactPhilippa Wolohan, 314-647-8837x3201, [email protected] orMitchell Polley x3358, [email protected]

Biotechnology DiscussionGroup

The organizers of the Biotech Dis-cussion Group have thrown in thetowel after two start-up meetingsearly in 2002 with very low atten-dance. Seems a shame for a regionthat boasts so many biotech re-search centers. If anyone wishes totry to resuscitate the group, contactDr. Cindy Dupureur at 516-4392 [email protected].

Chemical BOND

You’ve got some nerve!by Jack Bornmann

The earliest electronic computershad vacuum tubes and other elec-trical parts directly connected bywires. Changes required discon-necting wires and reconnecting

them in another configuration. Thecomputers were “hard-wired.”Later computers had a “punch-board”, a rectangle of conductingholes wired to various compo-nents. Short wires from one hole toanother made many configurationspossible. Changes were easy com-pared to using a soldering gun todisconnect and make new connec-tions. However the punch-board

was usually a confusing mass ofwires running hither and yon.

According to the central dogmaof brain activity that has held swayfor decades our brains are “hard-wired” into specialized areas forsmell, sight, taste, etc. These areasare as restricted as hard-nosed zon-ing laws. Not only is the brain sep-arated into specialized areas, but itwas also taught that if a brain celldies, it could not be replaced.Nearly every other cell in the bodycan reproduce itself and heal itself,but according to the dogma nervecells cannot.This peculiarity ofbrain cells did not make sense butin the old days the truth of thedogma was evident by just lookingat stroke victims and victims of spi-nal cord injuries. Their nerve cellswere not getting repaired or re-placed.

see Some Nerve p. 11

Chemical BOND

If you missed theContinuity Dinner....

St Louis, MO, December 12 — TheContinuity Dinner convened on apleasant December evening atSpiro’s East. There were 32 atten-dees, almost half “irregulars”—members who rarely or never be-fore attended a local ACS meet-ing. Certainly a ripe fruit basketfrom which to pick volunteers forthe upcoming year’s activities.

Lisa Balbes reported that as ofthis night, all the offices and com-mittee chairs had been filled for2003. Lisa also gave thechair-elect’s report for the absentLeah O’Brien (no report) and theimmediate past chair’s report forSue Dudek (no report). It appearedthat Lisa was guarding her reputa-tion for running meetings with lit-tle wasted motion.

Greg Wall was the closelyguarded secret “Henry Godt

Memorial” Lecturer. He recappedthe year’s activities and accom-plishments in rare style: anapestictetrameter. It was the first time inanyone’s memory that the lecturerhymed and honored a meter ...mostly. The full text is on page 12.

Donna Friedman was honoredas the Distinguished Service Awardwinner. The award recognizedlong and diligent participation in

the section’s activities, in tasksfrom glorious to thankless. Thanks,Donna.

A Salute to Excellence wasawarded to Marie Sherman for herwidely revered “Chemistry is Fun”outreach program. Marie has beentaking her show on the road toabout 25 elementary and middle

schools a year for the past 15years. In addition, Marie is apeer reviewer for the Journal ofChemical Education, has spokenat state and national teachingconferences, and has wonawards for teaching excellenceat local, state, and nationallevels. How she finds time forall this around her teachingduties at Ursuline Academy isanyone’s guess.

Several members of Marie’sfamily were in attendance forthe award bestowal. Marierecognized them for their for-

bearance through the years, eventhough they often wondered, “Is ita chemistry demonstration or is itdinner?”

Our dinner was excellent, anddessert, provided by Samir

Greg Wall engages the HGML audience with poesy

Yes, Donna was surprised by the DistinguishedService Award.

January, 2003

El-Antably, was a special capstoneto a delightful gathering.

Marie Sherman clutches her Salute to Excellence

active, please look through theBond and at the web pages(www.umsl.edu/~acs) describing ouractivities and events, and join us! Ifyou have ideas or know of oppor-tunities and resources that areavailable, please feel free to contactme or any one of the coordinatorslisted on the web pages.

I hope you all will join me in agreat big THANK YOU to LisaBalbes for her hard work and dedi-cation as the 2002 sectionchair—great job, Lisa! Thanks inadvance for your future supportand a sincere wish to you all for aHappy New Year.

Leah O’[email protected]

618-650-3562

From the Chair

from page 2

Chemical BOND

Plant a Project SEEDand watch it grow

Your institution is invited to ap-ply to participate in Project SEED,the ACS social action program thatplaces economically disadvantagedhigh school students.

Project SEED offers high schoolstudents exciting summer researchopportunities in academic, indus-trial, and government research lab-oratories. It allows high schoolstudents to expand their careeroutlook and provides opportuni-ties for students who historicallylack exposure to scientific careers.

The Summer I program providesfirst-time participants (rising ju-niors or seniors) a fellowshipaward of $1,750. The Summer IIprogram provides an additionalsummer scientific research experi-ence for prior year Summer I par-ticipants. These students willreceive a fellowship award of$2,000. Because of limited funds,preference is given to applicantswith matching funds from na-tional, state or local sources.

Each student performs scientificresearch in chemistry or a relatedfield under the direct supervisionof a scientist-mentor. Participantsmust be enrolled in high school orbe recent high school graduatesand must have taken one year ofhigh school chemistry.

Although the mentors receive nofinancial reward from the ACS,chemists and chemistry depart-ments who have participated havefound Project SEED a positive ex-perience. It is a rewarding oppor-tunity for community service and achance to guide a young, enthusi-astic mind toward a possible scien-tific career.

Applications from prospectivementors are due February 1, 2003.For further details or applicationforms, please contact

Sadiq ShahOffice of Technology TransferWestern Illinois [email protected]

Get job listings ...free delivery

Our Career Resources servicesnow include an email list for jobseekers.

We occasionally get job descrip-tions from employers and recruit-ers in the St Louis area who havepositions to fill. Anyone whowould be interested in hearingabout these openings can drop LisaBalbes an email ([email protected])and ask to be put on the chemistryjobs list. And stay tuned for infor-mation on a career developmentworkshop series planned for earlynext year....

POLYMER STANDARDS FOR GPC/SECMOLECULAR WEIGHT ANALYSISGPC/SEC COLUMN REPACKING

American Polymer Standards Corporation

8680 Tyler Boulevard, Mentor, OH 44060

Phone: 440-255-2211 Fax: 440-255-8397

January, 2003

That idea is changing. You mightsay that we are teaching old dog-mas new tricks. Researchers haveshown that extra use of a portionof a human brain can make itbigger.

In one significant study, thebrains of violinists were comparedto those of non-violinists. The fourfingers of the left hand of a violin-ist get the most use. The thumb ofthe left hand merely supports theneck of the violin. The right handis used to move the bow. Thus theright hand is important for draw-ing out the tone quality (the soul ofthe violin) but is used much lessthan the fingers of the left hand. Astudy of the brains of violinists andnon-violinists showed no differ-ences in the area of the brain con-trolling the fingers of the righthand. However there were signifi-cant differences in the area control-ling the fingers of the left hand.That area of violinists’ brains wasmuch larger.

Most professional violinists startplaying when they are children,when the brain is pliable and ma-turing. However even people whotook up the violin as adults had anincrease in brain size.

In another experiment, brainscans were taken of two groups:one was given finger exercises onthe piano while the other was toldto imagine they were doing thesame exercises but without a pianoand without physically movingtheir fingers. The area of the braincontrolling finger movement wasenlarged in both groups. In otherwords the brain can be used tochange itself! By thinking aboutdoing something, the brain pre-pares itself to do it.

With new scanning techniquesand the application of chemistryand the other sciences to the studyof the brain, we are on the verge ofa new era, The Age of the Brain.

Some Nerve

from page 6

Chemical BOND

95 and Still Aliveby Greg Wall

The full text of the Henry Godt Memorial Lecture follows:

Year 2002 has come and soon to pass,lately they all seem to fly by so fast.We end this year on a cheery notebecause our section is still afloat.

Lisa Balbes has been at the helm this year,charting our course, knowing no fear.Like those before her and those to come,she picked up the gavel and the legacy lives on.

For our Section turned 95 this yearand it is time for a toast and good cheer.What did we do that made it so great?Listen closely so I can relate.

With topical groups that meet fairly often,they kept us updated; they gave us the scoop.They were the Mass Spec, NMR,Comp Chem, and Educational Topical Group.

Public outreach is something we like to do,to get chemistry out for the public to view.Like the Career Awareness Fair,Kids & Chemistry and National Chemistry Week,

there’s the Minority Scientist Showcase to celebrate,the contributions that these fellow scientists make.But let’s not forget those who helped us grow,for it is on Recognition Night we remember their role.

Five more members joined the 50-year club,while we honored Pauline Bellavance for her service,Ray Mount for his distinguished service,and a Salute to Excellence to Dr. Bill Knowles,

Sue Dudek gave her past-chair reportbringing her term to a close.To grow, we add to our ranks,we work with young chemists and give them our thanks,

we hold High School Chemistry Contestand a Chemistry Olympiad,we held an undergraduate symposiumand a Chemistry Career Day,and the Marcus Award has been a mainstay.

January, 2003

We pay homage during Chemical Progress Week,to those who have left a mark, who are at their peak.The St Louis Award went to Scott Gilbertson this yearfor his contributions to organic chemistry we say, “Hear, hear.”

But we impact others with our reachby sponsoring the Flinn Workshop for those who teach.This year was special, we turned 95.We invited Dr. Bader, he decided to drive.

He presented three lectures but wanted to do more,I passed out buttons and programs at the door.The Midwest Award is in its 58th year,Mike Gross was honored,for his work with Mass Spec is much revered.

We held a general meeting for those who could come,with special guest Attila Pavlath (he’s Hungarian).With a Salute to Excellence and a job well done,we honored Marie Sherman for making chemistry fun.

Our Section has been busy, we work very hard,and we even took time to get an award.For addressing the ACS strategic thrustwith activities and programs galore,we ranked the highest, we got top score.

There are many more things that we have doneand many more yet to come.It would just be a dream that didn’t come true,if it weren’t for members just like you.

Thank you all for a great 2002.

Chemical BOND

January, 2003

Chemical BONDPublication of the

St Louis Section–American Chemical Society125 West Argonne DriveSt Louis, Missouri 63122

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