Serving the chemical, life sciences, and laboratory worlds
VOLUME 92, NUMBER 13 MARCH 31, 2014
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COVER STORY
SOCMA REASSERTS ITSELF
Washington, D.C., industry association emerges as the voice of small chemical companies.
PITTCON 2014
GOVERNMENT & POLICY 18 19
Instrument makers express optimism about the coming year and their new products. PAGE 30
CONCENTRATES DERAILMENTS TRIGGER SAFETY REVIEW
Accidents involving trains carrying crude oil spur review of tank car integrity. 22
CONGRESS WEIGHS STATE REGULATIONS
Legislators consider whether to override state laws controlling commercial chemicals.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 24 26
CONCENTRATES DISCLOSING DRUG CANDIDATES
One molecule debuted and others were discussed at the spring ACS national meeting in Dallas. 29
QUOTE OF THE WEEK “In an Olympic year, we can get so focused on higher, faster, and stronger that we overlook the beauty of greater convenience and simplicity.”
NEWS OF THE WEEK 5
INEOS TO BATTLE WITH SINOPEC
BOOKS 38
Swiss chemical firm says its acrylonitrile technology was stolen by a Chinese rival. 6
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HOPE FOR HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE
WIDER HORIZON FOR SAMS
N-Heterocyclic carbenes could substitute for alkanethiols to modify self-assembled monolayers. 7
PHARMA CONSOLIDATION
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ACS NEWS 41
With Albany Molecular Research Inc.’s purchase of Cedarburg Hauser Pharmaceuticals, a trend seems to be developing. 8
“ON PAPER”
Author Nicholas Basbanes takes readers on a magic paper ride through the medium’s 2,000-year history.
Possible cellular mechanism for the neurodegenerative disorder has been identified.
CHARLES A. LUCY, SEPARATIONS SCIENTIST, UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA PAGE 35
C&EN and Chemical Abstracts Service look at pharmaceutical patenting activity in China.
STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY STUNNER
Molecular machine that is 3 megadaltons in size has been determined sans crystallization. 6
PATENT PICKS
HELPING START-UPS START UP
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ACS bolsters its program to support members who are aspiring entrepreneurs.
SYRIA’S CHEMICAL ARMS DELAYS
Half of the country’s chemical weapons have been relinquished, but a deadline looms. 8
IMMUNE SYSTEM TURNABOUT
Macrophage-produced itaconate should kill pathogens, but some microbes not only live, they thrive. 9
EXPORTING NATURAL GAS
West Coast’s first natural gas export facility gets approved, but not with chemical industry’s approbation. 9
BIG STEP FOR SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
Building of a eukaryote chromosome holds promise for the synthesis of an entire genome.
BUSINESS 10 13
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CONCENTRATES TROUBLE IN FRANCE
Chemical firms fault business environment for country’s poor growth, but R&D outlook is good.
THE DEPARTMENTS 2 3 44
LETTERS EDITOR’S PAGE OBITUARIES
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CLASSIFIEDS NEWSCRIPTS
COVER: Roy Engelbrecht Photography
CENEAR 92 (13) 1–48 • ISSN 0 00 9-2347