our local National Teach-In is tomorrow!

The National Teach-In on Global Warming Solutions is going on now. Tomorrow several institutions in Central Oregon will be involved. OSU-Cascades, Central OR CC and at least one area High School are gathering from 11 am till 2 pm to talk, teach, eat, and discuss.

Everyone is of course welcome. From 1:30 until 2 the actual dialog will occur, featuring a number of students and City Counselors from Bend.

Hope to see you there!

chloraseptic=death?

This morning's news included a story suggesting that Nazi hunters at the Simon Wiesenthal Center have determined a certain war criminal, Aribert Heim, probably died and was buried in Egypt in the early '90s. He was apparently involved in "medical" experiments that sound awful--including deliberately injecting people with poison.

When I heard the story I immediately was taken back to a class yesterday, where the conversation led to the meaning of "phenol" and I casually mentioned that phenol, while rated as toxic by chemical supply houses, happens to be the ingredient in Chloraseptic throat spray. Ha ha ha, I chuckled, "How is it both medicine and poison?" and then I looked a bit deeper into this compound. It has a fascinating rap sheet.

Phenol is not only used as a topical antiseptic in Chloraseptic, it also:

• is considered toxic and mutagenic, and carries a health warning of "3" (highest is 4) on the NFPA label
• is the source of the odor best known as hospital smell
• is a raw material in phenolic resins, which included the historically important polymer, Bakelite

In addition to all this, it was also used by the Nazis to kill people by injection.

So wasn't it a coincidence to learn all this yesterday, and then wake this morning to the story of the Nazi doctor who may have committed these horrific acts with, perhaps, this very compound.

Russell Marker percolates up

A few days ago an entry from In the Pipeline included the phrase "Mexican yams and their biggest fan," with the last two words linked to somewhere. oooh! Intriguing! I thought maybe I'd know who this fan was. The link takes us to a Chemical and Engineering News article about Russell Marker. So of course the article discusses the history of Syntex and mentions our man of the hour: Dr. Djerassi.

Herr Doktor Djerassi

If you know anything about him you won't be surprised to hear that Carl Djerassi has a personal/professional web site devoted to the promotion of his books, plays, art, and generally himself. He provides access to lots of interviews where he shares his opinions on all of these topics--oh, yeah, and also of science and the development of the oral contraceptive pill.

There is one interview in particular which is a nice audio file. It's nice, if you are reading his autobiography, to know what he sounds like. His demeanor in interviews also provides insight into who he is in a way that is not quite captured in the book. So if you're curious, follow this link and find the BBC audio file, and have a listen.

Stereochemistry and the Pharmaceutical Industry

I heard part of an interview with Thomas Quasthoff on the radio last weekend. I'm not into opera, but his voice and presence is amazing. I became aware of Quasthoff several years ago when he gave an interview on TV....perhaps it was 60 minutes? I don't remember for sure anymore.

His biography is compelling, and illustrates the importance of stereochemistry in drug manufacture. In recent years there has been some argument about whether the FDA is too slow to approve drugs; too careful about approvals. Maybe, but maybe not. In the case of thalidomide I think everyone would agree there are many who were spared a difficult life because the FDA hesitated. Unfortunately in many other countries it was approved without sufficient testing.

hey, followers and students

Let's wiki!
I have been looking over the Wet Paint wikis that are constructed by my ochem students, and I am really impressed. I haven't had so much fun with something that seems like grading for a long time.

I am missing contributions from a few students, though, and I know two of them are people who watch this blog. So if you fit that description, please check your wiki site to see if I have been invited to be a member, and if I have accepted.

If you have no evidence I have looked at your blog, please invite me to join.

what's new in green chem?

I'm headed to Portland this weekend to reconnect with some professional buddies who are also into Green Chemistry. What's new in Green Chem and in Green Chem education? I can hardly wait to find out.

If there ever was a group of cool chemists, this is it.