Serving the chemical, life sciences, and laboratory worlds
VOLUME 92, NUMBER 9 MARCH 3, 2014
COVER STORY
CONTRACT MANUFACTURING Commercial sales of small-molecule therapies are made possible by production partnerships. PAGE 13
QUOTE OF THE WEEK “We learn the most from those that we have the least in common with.”
NEWS OF THE WEEK 7
Chemoenzymatic synthesis could replace current heparins with something safer and more useful. 8
CORECIPIENT, KATHRYN C. HACH AWARD FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS PAGE 55
GOVERNMENT & POLICY 34 35
CLIMATE CHANGE EXPLAINED
Report from the National Academy of Sciences and the U.K.’s Royal Society is aimed at the public. 9
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EDUCATION
DIFFICULT PROTEIN CONJUGATION 47
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ACS NATIONAL AWARDS
SNIFFING OUT CITRUS BLIGHT
Spectrometer can detect signs of bacterial citrus greening disease and perhaps help prevent spread.
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CONCENTRATES MAKING SPIDER SILK
Start-ups close in on synthetic spider silk production, eye a gamut of applications. 28
NEW LIFE FOR VENERABLE RESIN
Japanese and South Korean companies reinvigorate polyphenylene sulfide plastic market. 32
REVERTING WASTE PLASTICS TO OIL
Instead of simply recycling plastics, firms add plastics-to-oil waste management technologies.
2014 WINNERS
Amin-Sanayei, Hanrahan, Stuligross, Wille, and Wood; Bergman; Davis; DeSimone, Maynor, and Rolland; Platz; and van Duyne.
BUSINESS 22 24
BRE, CRE, AND DRE THOMPSON
C&EN talks with the identical triplets who earned chemistry degrees and are taking the next steps on their scientific pathways.
EUROPE STILL STRUGGLES
Profit growth remains elusive or weak for most firms; the road ahead doesn’t look much better.
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ACID “ANT-IDOTE”
Tawny crazy ants demonstrate first use of antidote to neutralize their enemy’s poison.
FRIENDLIER FLUORINATION
Linkage to an antibody fragment boosts efficacy of immune-system-regulating small molecule.
FIGHTING ACNE
While drugs try to treat the condition, new research shows how complex it is.
Pd-catalyzed reaction converts aryl bromides and iodides to fluorides with less mess and lower cost. 10
CONCENTRATES ▶ CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Coal Research looks back on 100 years of discoveries.
BOLSTERING U.S. PATENTS
White House wants to prevent the granting of weak patents and frivolous patent litigation. 10
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 38 40
PROBING CHEMICAL REACTIONS
New technique can yield valuable information for improving results from catalytic reactors.
CONCENTRATES STATES TARGET CHEMICALS
Pending state-level bills aim to control specific chemicals, propose listing substances of concern.
THE BOOMING CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
Soaring U.S. investments are linked to cheap, abundant energy, trade group says. 8
JOSEPH M. DESIMONE, 2014
MAKING BETTER HEPARIN
THE DEPARTMENTS 3 4 49 50
EDITOR’S PAGE LETTERS ACS COMMENT ACS NEWS
58 58 64
ACS CAREER TIPS CLASSIFIEDS NEWSCRIPTS
COVER: A molecule of NBMI, a mercury chelator and antioxidant, being “assembled.” Yang H. Ku/C&EN/ Shutterstock
CENEAR 92 (9) 1–64 • ISSN 0 0 09-2347