Education Extrapolating these results to lower temperatures, Nicolaou calculated that all these reactions could occur at ambient temperatures, as might be the case in nature. Indeed, some esters did become contaminated with others on long standing at 25 °C. Although Nicolaou has shown that endiandric acids can form nonenzymically and spontaneously from polyene acids in the laboratory, he cautions that there is as yet no evidence that the reactions are nonenz y m e in nature. An additional problem is the uncertainty about which geometrical isomers of polyene acids might be used in the Dorrigo plum. In his work to date, Nicolaou has used phenyl-Ci5 ester with the 3,4-, 5,6-, 7,8-, and 9,10-double bonds arranged transcis-cis-trans (EZZE). Similarly, his phenyl-Civ ester has the 5,6-, 7,8-, 9,10-, and 11,12-double bonds likewise arranged trans-cis-cis-trans. But he calculates that polyene acids that have an all-cis arrangement (ZZZZ) at these double bonds would give the same endiandric acids, and at a slower rate. Nicolaou presently is working on generation of all-cis esters. The geometrical isomerism of endiandric acid precursors is important to a complete solution of the problem. An additional significance would arise if the Dorrigo plum does make all-cis precursors. In that case, the fact would provide encouragement that relatively slower reaction rates would allow isolation of missing acids E, F, and G from plant materials. Having made great progress in demonstrating that the Dorrigo plum makes elaborate preparations for three consecutive spontaneous electrocyclic reactions to make these complex structures, chemists have begun to ask why. Preliminary screening indicates no pharmacological activity. But it has been suggested that endiandric acid secretions may inhibit germination of competing Dorrigo plum trees. Questions of phytochemistry and taxonomy of the once plentiful Dorrigo plum take on a certain poignancy in light of the fact that the tree is virtually extinct. Between the two stands in New South Wales, observers count only about 20 trees. Since collection of the first botanic materials 25 years ago, the Australian government has set aside these rain forest areas as national parks. Logging operations there in the past, however, may have altered the environment in such a way as to endanger the trees' existence. Steve Stinson, New York
Chemical research council gains solid financial footing Conceived at a gathering of industrial and academic scientists convened in Midland, Mich., just three years ago and delivered after a 14-month gestation, the Council for Chemical Research (CCR) held its second annual meeting at the end of last month in Houston. In less than two years, CCR clearly has grown into a lusty stripling. "We are now at a point where we can really go to work," says Malcolm E. (Mac) Pruitt, former vice president for R&D at Dow Chemical and CCR's first chairman. It is Pruitt, more than anyone else, who is credited with fathering the council. At the 1979 Midland conference, sponsored by Dow, he proposed forming an organization to provide a forum in which chemists and chemical engineers from both industry and academia could talk with one another and compare notes. Such an organization, he envisioned, could serve as a conduit for piping a steady stream of sorely needed funds from chemical producers into university chemistry and chemical engineering departments. Considerable skepticism was apparent, especially among academic scientists, at both the Midland meeting and an organizational conference held a year later in Bethlehem, Pa., regarding the need for such an organization and the motives of its industrial backers. Academic scien-
Pruitt: promoting mutual understanding
tists, however, have flocked to CCR. The initial membership goal of 100 university departments, each paying basic annual dues of $1000, has been exceeded; at present, 128 universities belong to CCR. Council officials figure that the academic membership likely will reach a maximum of 150. The 37 present members from industry, on the other hand, fall just a bit short of CCR's initial goal of 40, although included are a majority of the major companies in the chemical and petroleum industries, as well as a scattering of firms from other lines of business, such as GTE, Westinghouse, and Xerox. A few big chemical producers have not been enticed into CCR's fold, however; among them are Union Carbide, American Cyanamid, Olin, and Ethyl. Also still absent are almost all of the big drug houses. CCR officials hope the council eventually will attract at least 50 members from industry, each paying basic dues of $5000 a year. As a source of money for academic research, CCR also has fallen a bit short of what its backers initially had hoped for. They tend to blame the current recession for the shortfall, as well as the council's tardiness in getting its fund drive under way. The council has two channels for pumping industrial dollars into academia. It encourages—but does not require—member firms to increase their own direct grants to chemistry and chemical engineering departments, using guidelines established by the council. To date, just nine companies have done so, to the tune of $3.3 million to be divvied up between 1982 and 1984. Eastman Kodak's $1.3 million and Dow's $700,000 are the largest increases so far. In addition, industrial members can contribute to the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Fund, which is administered by CCR. Six companies provided nearly $560,000 this year, which has been divided among the 120 universities that were CCR members as of last April on the basis of the number of their Ph.D. graduates in chemistry and chemical engineering during the past three years. Each school received at least $1000 and grants ranged up to $22,000. Although the distribution this year was only about a fourth as much as what CCR officials had hoped to have at Oct. 11, 1982 C&EN
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Education their disposal, it does have a special attraction to department heads. It goes directly to the department, rather than to any individual, with no strings attached other than it be used to support basic research. Pruitt, who is passing CCR's chairmanship to Alvin L. Kwiram, head of the chemistry department at the University of Washington, sees the coming year as crucial to CCR, especially with the economy remaining so depressed for chemical producers. "We spent most of the past year establishing an organization and obtaining members," he notes. "Now we must be more concerned with funding." Adds Monsanto vice president S. Allen Heininger, a member of CCR's executive committee, "Now that we are up and running, we have to decide where we want to go and what role CCR should play, including on the national scene." Meanwhile, the council's role as a link between industrial and academic research is winning high praise. James F. Mathis, vice president for science and technology at Exxon, claims that "if CCR did not exist, it would be necessary to invent it to expedite
technology transfer between the universities and industry during these difficult times. CCR is uniquely qualified to do this. There is a catalytic effect in getting key people from industry and the universities together in a hotel for a couple of days." Heininger points out, too, that "technology doesn't transfer on pieces of paper but in the minds of people working together." And Pruitt thinks that one of CCR's significant accomplishments has been in getting academic chemists and chemical engineers to talk and work together more effectively. David Kiefer, Washington
Plan may ease faculty shortage in engineering Help in solving the engineering faculty shortage crisis is being sought by the American Association of Engineering Societies, New York City, in the form of a four-part proposal. The plan calls for cooperation among the federal government, universities, and the private sector. AAES has sent the proposal to George A. Keyworth II,
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director of the Office of Science & Technology Policy and adviser to President Reagan. The proposal is called "A Working Plan for Attacking the Engineering Faculty Shortage Problem." It was developed by a task force of AAES's Educational Affairs Council. Part one of the plan calls for establishment of the New Faculty Assistance Program. It aims to encourage more doctoral students to accept assistant professorships by offering two years of lighter teaching loads for an assistance package of $20,000 over two years for summer support, equipment purchases, release time in the academic year, and other improvements in working conditions. Half the funds would come from the federal government, the other half from institutional resources, which might include industrial grants and gifts. Directed at qualified Ph.D. candidates, part two envisions a program of White House Engineering Fellowships that would supply funding from the federal government at stipends of $60,000, payable at $10,000 per year for up to four years or until the graduate student earns the engineering doctoral degree, and continuing for two years if the student accepts employment as an engineering college faculty member. The university would be required to contribute an additional $5000 per year for a maximum of four years to the student's stipend, the funds coming from private gifts, industry grants, normal revenues, and the like. Part three, designed to lure those qualified people into the university system, would create White House Engineering Professors. Those accepted would be appointed to a faculty position for five years. In addition to their salaries as professors, they would receive a stipend of up to $25,000 per year from the government, with the participating institution required to provide matching funds. The federal money would be paid to the university for use at its discretion for relocation of, or paying fringe benefits for, new faculty members. Part four provides for improvement of university conditions. Encouraged to make long-range plans to become more attractive for qualified students and instructors, universities proving to be the most innovative would receive aid through federal funds if matched by university-raised money. AAES figures the 10-year cost to the government at $467 million. D
