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Hewlett Packard acquires Biomolecular Separations mass spectrometer assets
Dendritic polymer wiring conducts electricity We tend to think of wiring as being linear and two-dimensional. "Dendritic" is used to describe the somewhat chaotic organization of tree branches or a river system. However, by growing a threedimensional, hairlike, dendritic polymer array via alternating-current electrochemical polymerization, Michael Sailor and colleagues at the University of California-San Diego have brought a new perspective to the concept of wiring. Sailor's group set up platinum electrodes in a beaker of poly (3-methylthiophene). As current flowed to the positive electrode, the polymer array grew out from the electrode and into the beaker. When the current was reversed, the polymer array began growing out into the beaker from the other electrode. This back-and-forth process continued until the two arrays joined together in the middle. Once joined, current can flow in both directions through the array. The duty cycle, polymerization time, and potential limits used in the process determine the conductivity of the array. Because the conductivity of these poly-
New stationary phase for the chiral separation of anti- inflammatory drugs Research Corporation Technologies has received a patent for a chiral stationary phase, invented by William Pirkle and colleagues at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, for the separation of underivatized enantiomers of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as naproxen and ibuprofen as well as other enantiomers. The stationary phase, marketed under the brand name Whelk-0 I, is prepared by immobilizing enantiomerically pure4-(3,5-dinitrobenzamide)-3-prop-2-en1-yl-l, 2,3,4-tetrahydrophenanthrene to spherical silica. The covalent nature of the stationary phase makes it compatible with 292 A
Hewlett Packard (Palo Alto, CA) has announced acquisition of the mass spectrometer assets of Biomolecular Separations, Inc. (Reno, NV), whose matrixassisted laser desorption time-of-flight instrument, the LDI-1700XP Mass Monitor, will be integrated into HP's protein chemistry systems product line. According to Dieter Hoehn, vice president and general manager of HP's Analytical Products Group, "This is a key technology that broadens our current MS offerings and furthers our ongoing commitment to provide solutions for chemists in biotechnology laboratories." Optical micrograph of conducting polymer dendrites connecting two platinum electodes, 250 \im in diameter.
mers ranges over 8 orders of magnitude, the potential for data storage is impressive. In addition, the technique is not limited to a single pair of nodes; Sailor believes that a large number of nodes could be connected in common. Possible applications for this technology include electronics and neural networks.
commonly used mobile phases, including aqueous systems. It is available in both enantiomeric forms, enabling the reversal of elution order.
Fisher Scientific expands chemicals business In an effort to complement its extensive line of chemicals, Fisher Scientific International, Inc. (Hampton, NH) has purchased the organic chemicals division of Eastman Kodak Co. (Rochester, NY). Fisher Scientific has also agreed to purchase the organic chemicals division of Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V. (Geel, Belgium). Both divisions together sold - $35 million worth of chemical products in 1993.
Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 66, No. 5, March 1, 1994
Young Mass Spectrometrist Award Robert Levis, assistant professor of chemistry at Wayne State University, is the recipient of the Young Mass Spectrometrist Award, presented by the American Society for Mass Spectrometry. Levis received the award for his work in using MS to facilitate nucleotide sequencing in DNA The award includes a $25,000 research grant. Levis received his B.S. degree from LaSalle College (Philadelphia, PA) in 1984 and his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from The Pennsylvania State University in 1988. He held a postdoctoral position at the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics at the University of Colorado before joining Wayne State University in 1990.
AOAC International task force completes mandate on analyst training The AOAC Task Force on Analyst Training and Certification recently completed its mission to prepare educational materials for the training of analysts and laboratory technicians. The task force was cre-
