Acc. Chem. Res. = Suddenly Cool Again

Accounts of Chemical Research - located at the "left of your ACS radio dial"- may be as unloved as the random college radio stations one finds there. Yet it somehow seems to be catching fire with the chemistry "It" crowd.

Seriously...it's on the left!

I'd heard plenty of knocks back in grad school: "Self-reviews." "Citation fluffing." But, know what? I can't help but want to read most of these recent papers.

Take the upcoming Special Issue organized by Paul Wender. Entitled "Synthesis, Design and Molecular Function," it offers plenty of pizzazz. There's...

• Tom Hudlicky, whose "...20 years of effort [in synthesizing morphinans]...may qualify as obssession." 
• Karl Gademann "...unlocking secrets enshrined in molecular structure" towards neuroengineering.
• Brian Stoltz wants to show you "effective and broadly general methods for the formation of quaternary stereocenters."
• Phil Baran wants students "...to face challenges from the 'real world' at an early stage of their career"
• Frank Glorius wishes chemists would realize "...the value of negative and qualitative data" in reaction screening
• Glenn Micalizio advances "...an area of chemical reactivity not represented in the few well-established [C-C bond-forming] strategies" namely, metallacycles.
• Sam Danishefsky and Chi-Huey Wong tackle cancer vaccines. Need I say more?
• And Vinca alkaloids stalwart Dale Boger dives into vinblastine analogues.

I'm sure more will find their way onto the ASAPs, but this is an illustrious way to start the next issue.
Bravo, editors!

Knights of the Periodic Table

Last night, while reading through the Feb. 6 issue of C&EN, I found myself terribly amused by the inside back cover. The ad, for ACS journal Organometallics (*now under new management!), encouraged readers to check out their 2011 Roundtable. This panel of distinguished chemists met together last year to opine on issues ranging from new research frontiers and publication strategies to the role of basic research in developing new industrial reactions. 

A hand-drawn cartoon, purportedly of chemists in concilium adorns the article. Clearly, the artist intends for this to be modern-day: laptop computers, desk chairs, and a multinational group discuss science with rapt attention.


But the picture I found so funny wasn't this one, but instead the magazine cartoon, which re-imagined the same meeting as if the chemists were members of King Arthur's court. Which got me to thinking - I've dabbled a bit in catalysis and complexes, so who would I want on my round table?

I've taken the liberty of labeling the photo with my potential knights. Readers, with whom would you want to ride into battle discuss organometallic chemistry?