Chemformation

The Weekly Newsletter of the MIT Chemistry Department

Volume 13, Number 3
Friday, January 17, 1997

Next issue: January 24, 1997. Chemformation is published by the Office of the Department Chairman. The deadline for the next issue is Tuesday, January 21st. Please convey items of interest (or mailing list changes) to Linda Earle, Room 18-393, Department of Chemistry, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, 617/253-4080; 617/258-7500 (fax) or email to lkn@mit.edu Back issues of Chemformation can be accessed via the Chemistry Department Website.

Visit the Chemistry Department Website at http://web.mit.edu/chemistry/www/

SEMINAR CALENDAR

Richard Roberts

Massachusetts General Hospital

"Toward in Vitro Selection of Peptides and Proteins Using RNA-Protein Fusions"

Tuesday, January 21, 1997

4:00 p.m. in 6-120

Refreshments @ 3:45 outside 6-120

Rafael Brüschweiler

ETH, Zürich, Switzerland

"Nuclear Spin Dynamics and Molecular Motion"

Thursday, January 23, 1997

4:00 p.m. in 6-120

Refreshments @ 3:30 in 6-233

Donna G. Blackmond

Max Planck Institüt Für Kohlenforchung

"Kinetic Influences on Enantioselecitvity in Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation"

Tuesday, February 4, 1996

4:00 p.m. in 6-120

Seminar in Organic Chemistry

Dr. James K. Bashkin

Washington University in St. Louis

"Ribozyme Mimics and the Role of Metal Ions in RNA Cleavage"

Wednesday, January 29, 1997

4:00 p.m. in 6-120

Special Seminar in Inorganic Chemistry

Refreshments @ 3:45 Moore (6-321)

Building 18 Computer SubNet

Work has begun in Building 18 on the installation of wiring for the Department computer subnet. This part of the departmental subnet, once established, will be the foundation of expanded, more flexible means of connecting computers and sharing data within Building 18, across the department, and out to the internet.

Over the next few weeks, network wiring will be installed, beginning with the first floor of the building and rising to the fifth, then the basement and sub-basement.. Over the next few months the network hardware will then be put into place, allowing the connection of computers. Gigi Lirot will be contacting the occupants of offices and labs as the time draws near for work in individual rooms. Should you have any questions, please contact Gigi at 3-4508 or lirot@lippard.mit.edu.

Graduate Research Symposium in Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry

Monday, February 3, 1997

2:00 PM, Room 6-120

Diego A. Hoic

Fu Lab

New Aspects of Borabenzene Chemistry

Melanie S. Bartow

Danheiser Lab

Intramolecular [4+2] Cycloadditions of Conjugated Ynones: A New Method for the Synthesis of Substituted Polycyclic Furans

Frederick A. Hicks

Buchwald Lab

Enantioselective Titanium-Catalyzed Cyclocarbonylation of Enynes to Cyclopentenones

* * * * * * * * Refreshments * * * * * * * *

Roman W. Fleck

Masamune Lab

Antibody Catalysis via Heterologous Immunization: Amide Hydrolysis with an External Nucleophile

Christine E. Garrett

Fu Lab

Transition-Metal Catalysts in Organic Synthesis

Xuedong Dai

Virgil Lab

Synthesis and Application of a Novel Phosphine Ligand

MIT Chemistry Outreach Program to Hold Organizational Meeting

Are you interested in doing chemistry that (almost) always works? Venturing beyond the Cambridge/Boston area? Working with people from outside of your research group? If so, then come to an organizational meeting of the MIT Chemistry Outreach Program. Join graduate students in performing amazing chemistry demonstrations in area high schools this spring. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 21, 1997 at 5:30 in the Norris Room (18-490). Pizza will be in abundance. Questions? Contact Melanie Bartow or Greg Dudley at 18-267, 18-265 or call them at extension 3-1836 or e-mail msbartow@mit.edu or gdudley@mit.edu

Corning Foundation Invites Graduate Students to Participate in Fellowship Program!

The Corning Foundation has invited the Department to participate in the Foundation's Science Fellowship Program. For the 1997-98 academic year, they are offering up to $25,000 in support of a pre-doctoral fellowship in chemistry.

To apply, you will need a one-page description of your research activities, academic record, a curriculum vitae and a statement of support from your Ph.D. advisor. The department graduate committee will review all applications and a candidate will be chosen from ther. Please submit all applications to Professor Dietmar Seyferth, room 4-382A by February 15th, 1997.

Upcoming Seminar - May Be of Interest!

Professor Joseph Jacobson, MIT Media Lab, is host for an upcoming lunch/seminar on Thursday, January 23, 12:45 to 2:00 p.m. and has invited members of the MIT community to attend. The Lecturer is Dr. Hidekazuu Yoshizawa Title: Microspheres, Microencapsulation and Functionalized Microparticles Dr. Yoshizawa will discuss his past work on mircospheres, microencapsulation and functionalized microparticles for use in areas including drug delivery systems, extraction, and separation science and mass transfer and equipment engineering. The meeting will be held in Room: E-15-095. Please contact Professor Jacobson at 253-72099 e-mail: Jacobson@mmedia.mit.edu

Glass Blowing Services Available

Bob DiGiacomo will be coming in on Wednesdays or Thursdays to pick up any glass blowing work that you may have available. Please bring any work to room 6-031 or call Ed Udas or John Annese at 3-4505. Bob will do the work on a first-come basis.

Help Get Organized!

Call Ed Udas at 253-4505 or stop by room 6-026 if students, faculty or staff need help in organizing their MIT space.

Positions

• Freudenberg Nonwovens, Lowell, MA: Seeks junior chemist/senior technician with a B.S. in a technology field, preferably chemistry, textiles or other sciences. Duties to include, knowledge of binder systems, polymer, fibers and different acrylic systems; ability to perform R&D trials and production scale-ups; understand dispersion of dyes and application techniques; experience with design of experiment or statistical skills. Please send resumes to: Lisa Hall, Freudenberg Nonwovens, 221 Jackson Street, Lowell, MA 01852. Fax number is 508-458-9661 and phone is 508-454-0461 ext. 593.
  
  
• Allied Signal, Petersburg, VA: Has a position open for a new Ph.D. with a background in physical organic/organic chemistry. They seek a candidate who is strong on fundamentals with a high interest in hands on laboratory/pilot plant experimentation. The individual will participate in design of experimental equipment to insure reliable scale-up to commercialization. Please contact Thomas P. Izod at 804-520-3421 or fax at 804-520-3644 or e-mail to tom.izod@alliedsignal.com
  
  
• Inspec, Virginia Beach, VA: Search firm is seeking physical chemists/surface scientists for development of high-efficiency solid state semiconductors; also seek Ph.D. ceramist with a minor in metallurgy or chemistry. The client is located in the northeastern US. Please contact: Hugo Schluter, CPC, Senior VP, INSPEC, 757-460-7790 or fax to: 757-460-7886.
  
  
• Lyman Briggs School, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI: Full time, two-year twelve month position (with possibility of renewal) as the first Dutton Endowed Lecturer in Lyman Briggs School (LBS), a residential undergraduate science program in the College of Natural Science at Michigan State University, beginning in august of 1997. Recent Ph.D. in an area of chemistry with a strong commitment to a career in undergraduate teaching essential. Knowledge of recent innovations in the use of technology and in the content of laboratories for general undergraduate chemistry desirable. Duties will include: to develop innovative pedagogical techniques and/or content for the two 1 credit laboratory courses LBS 165L and LBS 266L to oversee the operations of those including supervision of the teaching assistants in those courses. Questions should be directed to Edward C. Ingraham at 517-353-6486 or ingraham@msu.edu Letters of application accompanied by a cv and the names
  
  

Postdoctoral Positions