News from across RSC Publishing.
Issue 6
Hair today, drugs tomorrow
An elegant and flexible synthesis which could lead to new anti-cancer drugs has been developed by researchers from Sweden. Peter Somfai and Staffan Torssell have prepared D-erythro-sphingosine, a member of a family of so-called sphingolipids from cell membranes which includes the ceramides many of us are more familiar with from hair-care commercials. Somfai and Torssell hope to maximise the proven anti-tumour activity of D-erythro-sphingosine by changing their synthesis to make more potent analogs.
Rings galore
Researchers in Canada present a simple method for making tiny rings made of Fe/Co nanoparticles. Polyferrocenylsilanes (PFS) are metallopolymers that can be readily polymerised. Ian Manners and his colleagues from the University of Toronto apply a PFS to a pre-patterned substrate to form 2D-arrays of Co-PFS rings, which form Fe/Co alloy nanoparticle rings after pyrolysis. Self-assembly of these rings, Manners speculates, could lead to cylinders which could be co-assembled with rods and spheres to build tiny machines.
Simultaneous monitoring
Researchers in the USA have successfully demonstrated the coupling of a gas chromatograph to an inductively coupled plasma Mattauch-Herzog geometry mass spectrograph, including a novel detector array, for the detection/determination of organometallic and halogenated hydrocarbon species. Gary Hieftje and colleagues claim the system can simultaneously monitor up to 15 m/z ratios, achieve low limits of detection and eliminate some shortcomings often associated with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric instrumentation.
Templating macrocycles
Functionalised calixarenes can be converted into multi-macrocyclic compounds using another calixarene as a template reports a team from Johannes Gutenberg-Universität in Mainz, Germany. Volker Böhmer and colleagues exploit the configuration of one hydrogen-bonded calixarene dimer as a template for the preparation of tetra- and octa- substituted calixarenes with specific geometries. They propose that this methodology could be useful in the preparation of rotaxanes, catenanes, and large functional macrocycles.
Essential Elements
Gaseous bioactive molecules
Publishing - a global activity
Publishing - a global activity
The novel properties, applications and commercial opportunities presented by developments in nanoscience and nanotechnology research, all feature in a forthcoming book series from ...
Research Highlights
Modifying contact lenses will allow easy monitoring of blood glucose levels.
Acoustic levitation of micro droplets leads to test tubes without walls.
Effects of fluorine on enzyme-inhibitor interactions.
Simple method to prepare conducting polymer nanostructures.
Sensitively measuring radiation
Radiation doses can be measured and calculated more sensitively thanks to a new material being developed by Norwegian researchers.
Non-explosive route to green reagent
Hydrogen peroxide can be efficiently synthesised from hydrogen and oxygen without the need for strong acids or the risk of explosion.
Chemistry and the war on terror
A recent report from US scientists concludes that biologically inspired sensors and lab-on-a-chip devices will be at the heart of future counter-terrorism technologies.
Shedding light on protein structure
Scientists from Umeå University in Sweden have come up with a straightforward way of measuring distances within protein molecules using fluorescence spectroscopy.
Connecting microfluidic devices may not be as problematic in the future as it is now.
Materials are becoming increasingly smart and now, by utilising known biological applications, a 'smart Petri dish' is being developed.
Tailor-made ligands have allowed researchers to develop a unique catalytic system.
