Organic Synthesis International

Friday 2 August 2013

The following essay describes in broad terms the history of the discovery of Alimta. It was written as a part of a brochure celebrating the dedication of Princeton’s magnificent new chemistry building, completed by the end of 2010. The building, recognized as perhaps the finest, best-equipped, and designed facility for academic chemistry research in the country, was financed by royalties to Princeton from sales of Alimta by Eli Lilly & Co., to whom Princeton had given an exclusive license. The article was addressed to a general audience; my lecture in Glasgow1 filled in the organic and heterocyclic chemistry involved in the extensive explorations that finally led to the discovery and synthesis of Alimta.

http://www.iupac.org/publications/ci/2011/3305/1_taylor.html

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DNA: From Structure to Synthesis

Vol. 35 No. 2
March-April 2013

by Krishna N. Ganesh
http://www.iupac.org/publications/ci/2013/3502/2_caruthers.html

The DNA double helix made up of two antiparallel strands complementary to each other through specific base pairing of A with T and G with C codes the key information necessary for synthesis and regulation of all proteins and enzymes required of functioning of a cell from cell division to cell differentiation and cell development. The discovery also gave birth to the fields of molecular and structural biology, which have been key to the genetic revolution that has resulted in the development of vital products, ranging from hormones and enzymes to therapeutic molecules and vaccines. The penultimate achievement stemming from the discovery of DNA’s structure was the unraveling of the entire human genome in 2001 and work continues unabated on the genomes of other organisms. These discoveries have implications for our understanding of diseases at the molecular level and, thereby, the development of cures. Some of the most spectacular applications take advantage of the self-assembling properties of the genetic molecule DNA to make nonbiological novel generic materials.http://www.iupac.org/publications/ci/2013/3502/2_caruthers.html

Novel Aromatic Compounds

by Shih-Yuan Liu and Michael Haley
The 14th International Symposium on Novel Aromatic Compounds (ISNA-14) was held 24–29 July 2011 in Eugene, Oregon, USA, on the campus of the University of Oregon. Over 250 participants from 21 countries were present, making this gathering the largest ISNA conference on North American soil. The scientific program consisted of the 2011 Nozoe Lecture presented by Peter Bäuerle (University of Ulm, Germany), 11 plenary lectures, 20 invited lectures, 29 contributed lectures, and 160 posters presented in two sessions. This IUPAC-sponsored symposium was organized by Michael M. Haley (University of Oregon) and Benjamin T. King (University of Nevada, Reno, USA).

http://www.iupac.org/publications/ci/2011/3306/cc1_240711.html