RESEARCH
MEET
ilroethane CH3CH2N02
for process and product improvement Νitroethane" is one of four versatile Nitro· paraffins now available In commercial quantity for industry. This new chemical family is be· lieved toxoid more promise forvprocess and product ^advancement than any other chemical group developed în the past twenty-five years. Learn how the HP's may be of help^in improving your present product or in creatingnew products,
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tially consists of a ring of carbon atoms with five hydrogens which must be On the Cancer Front oriented in one of 32 possible arrange ments;. T h e ring was t h e initial goal. From practical tests to theo Diels-Alder condensation of p-benzories of cancer, science con quinone a n d vinyl acrylic acid gives tinues its attack o n o n e o f the synthesis starting material (JACS, May o ) . This was then reduced t o an the nation's leading killers alcohol, a n d in order, converted t o an oxide^ lactone, ether, a n d a methoxy • A fraction of cigarette tar which ether., a structure where reserpine's Ε causes skin cancer h a s been isolated b y ring hydrogens are properly placed. T r e a t m e n t of t h e Ε ring intermediate Ernest L. Wynder of Sloan-Kettering with JZV-bromosuccinimide was followed Institute and George Wright of Uni by oxidation to t h e ketone a n d conver versity of Toronto. Tobacco t a r col lected from a mechanical smoking d e sion t o a hydroxy acid, ester acetate, vice was broken d o w n into acid, base, and finally, a diol suitable for further and neutral components. Most cancercombinations leading to reserpine. producing activity i s in the neutral Thien this diol was transformed di component, which comprises about rectly ( a n d in high yields) to a host of 5 5 % of the tar. T h i s component was six-m.embered ring intermediates, in broken into six fractions, a n d each was cluding a lactam—which possessed the applied to the backs of 10 mice. At t h e Ε ring configuration. Next a quaterniza- end of 17 months all 10 exposed to one tion and reduction led to DL-methyl- fraction had developed precancerous o-acetyl isoreserpate a n d in turn, 3- lesions and eight h a d developed can isoreserpic acid—which corresponds to cers. No cancer-producing activity isoreserpine. The latter differs from was found in t h e other four fractions reserpine in that it h a s a hydrogen and very slight activity in t h e sixth. atom in t h e back of the molecule. T h e active fraction, comprising 1.5^ N o w , only inverting the hydrogen of t h e whole tar, is the carbon tetra rema_ined; Woodward resolved this chloride soluble fraction; i t contains a by successively converting to isoreserpic number of unidentified aromatic polyacid lactone, reserpic acid lactone, cylic hydrocarbons. It contains benzmethyl reserpate, and, finally, reserpine pyrene, but in such small quantities in v e r y favorable yields. Woodward that it could not account for the cancerexplains that the latter phases of final producing activity, the investigators operation follow "well-trodden paths." told the Adantic City meeting of t h e • Ciba a n d S q u i b b . Woodward's American Association for Cancer R e hint of progress interested Ciba and search. When cigarette paper w a s Squibb research people. Both com burned as a hollow shell simulating its panies h a d long histories of reserpine use in cigarettes, benzpyrene was n o t studies, p a r t of which referred to con present in detectable amounts. version of 3-isoreserpine or related com pounds to reserpine. And both phar • A virus that consistently causes maceutical firms had different ways of mouse leukemia has been discovered b y making t h e transformation. Charlotte Friend, also of Sloan-Ketter F o r example, Frank L. Weisenborn ing. T h e new filterable agent produces and Patrick A. Diassi of Squibb had leukemia in 90 to 100% of two strains worked on the reaction of Rautvolfia of mice. Although there a r e a number alkaloids with mercuric acetate (JACS, of animal cancers known t o b e caused May 5 ) . This reagent could convert by viruses, says Friend, this one differs 3-isoreserpine t o 3-dehydroreserpine, from those previously reported because which upon reduction with zinc and it causes leukemia even i n adult mice; acetic acid forms reserpine. The others must b e inoculated into infant Squibb reduction method then becomes mice a few hours after birth, a n d sev another way of doing t h e last operation. eral months pass before the first evi C i b a h a s two alternate ways. One, dence of disease. Mice infected with devised b y Charles Huebner, simply in the n e w virus show first signs of leu volves treating 3-isoreserpine with kemia, enlargement of the spleen, with acetic acid and continuously drawing in 14 to 21 days, F r i e n d told AACR. off reserpine s o t h e reaction can T h e ability to c a u s e leukemia in t h e proceed. In the other route, by Ciba's adult animal makes possible study of Martin Kuehne, 3-isoreserpic acid is vaccination a n d will provide material treated with acetic acid a n d anhydride for studying the physical and chemical to £orm the reserpic acid lactone ( a characteristics of leukemia in animals. 9 different way t h a n Woodward's for ar riving at the same p r o d u c t ) , which • Cancer starts w h e n a trigger mecha could then, in two additional steps, nism—radiation, a carcinogenic chemi form the reserpine. cal, or a virus—blocks some of the cell's
Control R npWr hOWrrr
appiied on the spot
preheat
can make your process more profitable iiot a n .return
oven
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Integrated control designed by Honeywell, at Enamelstrip Corp., Allentown, Pa., coordi nates operation of enameling oven and exhaust gas catalytic burner. Three related control systems regulate catalyst pre heating, recovery of waste heat, and safety and production rate in the furnace. R e s u l t s : air pollution ended . . . fuel costs cut 80% . . . production rate up 400% . . . insurance rates slashed 95%.
•hot a i r air intake
AJ8 HEATER *f0w steel
-'enamel applicator
legend · S R - storting relay CR-electric pneumatic relay
V D - v a r i a b l e drive ce A-combustible g a s analyzer
control t o work—in a way that gets the most in output and economy from your process—is a special ized skill of Honeywell field engineers. Take a look, for instance, at how Honeywell men tackled a control application a t Enamelstrip Corp., Allentown, P a . «TUTTING
The two ElectroniK temperature controllers a t the left do a lot more than hold temperatures constant. One is a preheat controller and t h e other a waste heat recovery controller. Between them, they not only keep catalytic burner and oven temperatures right where they belong, but sdso conserve fuel by shutting off the burners when they're n o t needed . . . and b y controlling waste heat r e t u r n i n just the right amount without overheating the oven. And the ElectroniK instrument t h a t records combustible gas concentration in oven gases becomes a safety and production controller. I t automatically keeps enamelled strip running through the oven a t the peak speed, consistent with safe percentage of dangerous gases. Λ
"ΗΤΤΗ"
By on-the-spot consultation, with your own staff, Honeywell field engineers can apply their wide assort ment of control instrumentation to your process . . . with thoroughness and ingenuity that assure best re sults. They're graduate engineers, thoroughly trained in instrumentation, and well experienced in the appli cation of modern control methods to modern processes. And they are backed by a n engineering staff in the Honeywell headquarters, on whom they can call for additional application engineering whenever needed. Get to know your local Honeywell field engineer. He's the kind of man you'd be glad to have working with you as a consulting expert. Call him today for a discussion of your process problems ... he's as near as your phone. MINNEAPOLIS-HONEYWELL REGULATOR Co., Industrial Division, Wayne and Windrim Avenues, Philadelphia 44, Pa.—in Canada, Toronto 17, Ontario. M I N N
E A P O L I S
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HI H o n e y w e l l HONEYWfLl
B R O W N
I N S T R U M E N T S
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U Μ Ε Ν ΤS
MAV
7,
1956 C & E N
2243
RESEARCH
CHEMICAL ENGINEERS Here's an opportunity a career in atomic
to start potver
N o previous atomic experience required if you have worked i n the areas of plant design, instrumentation, thermal analysis, process, or corrosion. Work involves the design, development and construction of pressurized water reactors for atomic power plants. Ch. E. degree and U. S . Citizenship required. Send r e s u m e of education and training to: Mr. A. M. Johnston Westinghouse Bettis Plant P.O.Box 1468, Dept.A-21 Pittsburgh 30, Penna.
First in Atomic
Power
To Pick up ,Every
functional activities. Harold P. Rusch, director of University of Wisconsin's McArdle Memorial Laboratory, says these initial cell changes are then perpetuated, giving rise to cancer tissue. These changes develop in different ways: Viruses pass from cell to cell, causinc changes resembling genetic changes, or they may b e the carrier of foreign genetic materials; D N A from cell chromosomes may effect the change; or changes may result from altered cell cytoplasm. When cancer-causing chemicals are applied to animals they must be applied for a period of time before cancers start to grow. If application stops before the critical time, no cancer results. At this time, McArdle scientists believe, a protein has been grabbed away from the cell by the cancer-causing chemical. This protein depletion theory was developed at U W from experimental evidence supplied by James and Elizabeth Miller. •Presence of breast cancer and the stage of its development may be indicated by increase of certain types of lipoproteins in the blood, Marian Barcaly and associates of Sloan-Kettering told AACR. Studies of 6 8 young women showed statistically significant differences between normal condition, noncancerous lesions, and both limited and widespread breast cancers.
Reactors for Universities Construction of two high-energy particle accelerators has been approved by Atomic Energy Commission:
Use
FLORIDIH ADSORBENTS For laboratory and industrial processes requiring selective a d sorption t o the nth degree, Florez offers an extremely porous, granular adsorbent unequalled b y other low cost natural materials. Almost a half century's experience assures intelligent, confidential, and immediate attention to inquiries on any problem of adsorption, dehydration, catalysis or decolorization.
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C&EN
M A Y 7, 1956
• A 6-b.e.v. machine, which will cost the Government $6.5 million, will be a joint Harvard-MIT project located at « Harvard. To be constructed in three and a half years, it will be a circular alternating gradient electron synchrotron with a 118-foot radius. • A 3-b.e.v. machine, to cost $5.8 million, will be a joint Princeton-University of Pennsylvania project located at Princeton. Construction will b e completed in three and two thirds years. It will be a uniform gradient proton synchrotron resembling the Cosmotron at Brookhaven. Each facility will include 2 1 , 0 0 0 square feet of lab, office, and shop space, as well as buildings to house the accelerators, power supplies, and experimental areas. The accelerators will be operated by the institutions under contract with AEC. The machines will be used for basic
research in high-energy physics. They will b e available for research by scientists from institutions other than t h e four participating in the plans.
^Intensified studies on analysis of automotive exhaust gases in relation t o air pollution will result from an agreement between the Bureau of Mines and the Coordinating Research Council. The study will attempt to determine whether gas chromatography can b e adapted to analysis of the gases. T h e council, which is supported b y auto manufacturing and petroleum industries, will contribute $36,000 this year to supplement other exhaust-gas research under w a y at bureau facilities.
• COMMENT
What disturbs and frightens the scientist is the increasing tendency to treat science and the scientist as commodities with all the appropriate export and import regulations which relate to important strategic materials. The great drive n o w going on to increase the number of scientists and engineers takes on the appearance of stockpiling of tungsten or copper. The aids to scientific education stem more from the fear that Russia will surpass us than from an interest in scientific knowledge and a concern for the general vigor and health of the scientific endeavor and the preservation of a strong scientific tradition. They certainly do not stem from a desire of the public to know more about science and the visible and invisible world. The impact of scientific thought on the culture of our times becomes less and less, even as science advances to greater pinnacles of understanding and discovery. As the importance of science in the country increases, its dignity seems to be diminishing. Many scientists have had the frustrating experience of trying to explain what science is about to laymen either in government, or in the universities, or to the ordinary professional or business man. I. I. Rabi, New York Times magazine
