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Organic Letters makes its debut
T
he experiment is like most others designed to bring forth a better product—one that's faster and less expensive. But this experiment is different from most since it doesn't take place in the laboratory; it's conducted in the library—166 libraries, actually. Organic Letters, the newest peerreviewed research journal from the American Chemical Society and the first published in a groundbreaking collaboration with the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), is testing the waters in the realm of expensive scientific research publications. The biweekly communications journal is fashioned to bring research data to those who need them more quickly and more inexpensively than its competitors. Like other communications journals, the purpose of Organic Utters is the rapid disclosure of the key elements of a study. It contains just enough background discussion to place the new disclosure in context and only those aspects of the work that justify the urgent publication format. Less than one year following its conception, Organic tetters is making its print debut at the 36th National Organic Chemistry Symposium, held this week at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The premier issue is packed with 43
letters, covering a broad range of topics from materials science through medicinal chemistry. Authors include organic chemistry notables such as Nobel Laureate E. J. Corey from Harvard University and Priestley Medalist Ronald Breslow of Columbia University. Also included is research by the editor-inchief of ACS's Journal of Organic Chemistry (JOC), Clayton H. Heathcock. Symposium attendees will be the first to see the publication. The issue will be distributed on Monday morning at the opening session. Subscribers—as well as the general public (through Sept. 30)—with Internet access don't have to wait until mid-July to check out the new journal. Organic Letters' online edition was launched on May 17. As C&EN went to press, there were more than 75 articles posted through Articles ASAP (As Soon As Publishable), which enables ACS online journals to publish material within 48 hours following completion of peer review and correction by the authors. The web page was brought online
went They were still working on some glitches, but being able to use WordPerTo computer-sawy chemists, commu- fect to upload and send my research to nicating by e-mail and getting informa- the editor was a great idea." tion off the Internet are old-shoe. But When publishing research results, even researchers who consider mas- speed counts. Authors who wish to take tery of a word processing program a advantage of online submissionfillout a major accomplishment have reason to manuscript submission form, including celebrate—Organic tetters now offers its contact information and thetitleof their authors the option of submitting their paper. They then choose whichfilethey manuscripts over the Internet want to transfer. The process can take According to Cheryl Shanks, senior Word, WordPerfect, or rich text format product manager, the American Chem- documents. The same form will also acical Society launch team for Organic tet- cept supporting information. Authors ters developed and implemented the who choose to receive web galleys will new process with the help of the publi- get an e-mail message with a secure web cations information technology staff. address where they can view their galThe idea was in the back of our minds leys in PDF format before formally subfor a while. We knew we had to make it mitting the article for publication. innovative and easy to use." The idea The peer review process is also onis a popular one—so far two-thirds of line. Potential reviewers are contacted the manuscripts sent to the editors and given a secure URL, manuscript have been via the online system and number, and security key. They can more than 200 online submissions view the article online, fin out an onhave been processed. Frederick G. line review form, and e-mail their comWest, associate professor of chemistry ments to the editor's office. Accepted at the University of Utah, was one of the manuscripts are published sequentialfirst to try the system. "All in all, I was ly through Articles ASAP. really surprised at how smoothly it Melody Voith
You've got research!
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without a hitch, according to Cheryl Shanks, the ACS senior product manager responsible for the launch, and it has received a constant stream of visitors since. Statistics indicate that articles have been viewed more than 6,000 times in just a few weeks. Journal pricing is a hot issue these days (see page 38). As annual subscription prices rise, researchers and academic librarians cancel their subscriptions, which drives some publishers to increase prices further. Supported by ARL's Scholarly Publishing & Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC), composed of 166 academic libraries, ACS is the first major publisher to bridge the gap by offering the new journal at roughly one-third the price of its most expensive competitor, Tetrahedron Letters. "Organic Letters is an extraordinarily important journal, not only in itself, but because it is testing innovations that could change the face of publishing," says Robert D. Bovenschulte, director of ACS's Publications Division. More than 65% of the first issue's articles were submitted through its innovative online submission template, which enabled editors to move each item through the editing and review process in roughly a month. This time is expected to drop significantly as the process becomes more familiar and undergoes a little refinement. Sure, there have been some rough spots in the system, explains Editor-inChief Amos B. Smith III, "but the response has been spectacular in fixing these minor problems very quickly. We're continually learning." Hundreds of manuscripts have been received and the editorial staff is getting lots of practice. "No one ever, to my knowledge, has utilized the electronic era for publishing to the extent which we're doing," Smith says. "The entire process can be done without any transfer of paper between offices." Smith, Rhodes-Thompson Professor of Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania, oversees the operation from an office just two floors below his research office. Managing Editor Carol Carr is also located in the building. The arrangement provides the managerial coverage necessary to counter travel de-
mands. Associate editors for the journal are Peter Beak and Scott B. Denmark, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Cynthia J. Burrows and C. Dale Poulter, University of Utah, Salt Lake City; Daniel H. Rich, University of Wis consin, Madison; and Jeffrey D. Win kler, University of Pennsylvania. Organic Letters will work in tandem with JOC, which once published the re search results that constitute Organic Letters. Items published as communica tions in the new letters journal will later be published as full accounts in other journals. Just as authors and editors can quickly put Organic Letters together, readers can quickly navigate it through a novel graphical format. Each abstract, in both online and print editions, con tains a central graphic that serves as a visual summary of the authors' re search. These graphics are added to the
journal's table of contents, enabling readers to scan items by image. The index system also establishes a link to JOC, which utilizes a similar for mat. Both journals will include the picto rial index of the other. Growth is anticipated—even expect ed—by the editor-in-chief, in terms of both the number of articles published and the number of editors needed to publish them. "We want to be the international ven ue for the most important work in or ganic chemistry, from materials science through physical organic and synthetic chemistry to bioorganic and medicinal chemistry," Smith says. As the volume of letters rises, associate editors— including some in foreign posts—will be added to the staff. And there's no doubt for Smith that this expansion will take place: "I can see it happening already." Kevin MacDermott
Exhibit on chemistry in ί liladelphia opens Nearly 100 members of the American Chemical Society's Philadelphia Section were on hand on May 27 to celebrate the opening of the Chemical Heritage Foun dation's (CHF) new exhibit, "Chemical Industries in the Philadelphia Region." The exhibit, which was produced in con junction with the section's centennial cel ebration, is on display at CHF headquar ters in Philadelphia. Richard W. Kelso, chief executive of ficer of PQ Corp., a primary sponsor of the exhibit, cut the ribbon at its open ing. PQ was founded as Philadelphia Quartz in 1831, making it the second
oldest chemical company in the U.S. Joining Kelso were Arnold Thackray, CHF president; Cheryl A. Martin, chair of the Philadelphia Section; and PQ's Hank Whalen, who is also chair of the ACS Board of Directors. "The exhibit is a tribute to the inno vations of the chemical industry in the Delaware Valley," said Kelso. "Our chemical and pharmaceutical compa nies have a very rich history. Our dis coveries have made lives of people throughout the world safer, healthier, richer, and more comfortable." The region is home to some of the
Pictured at the ribbon cutting are (left to right) Thackray, Kelso, Martin, and Whalen.
nation's largest and oldest firms in the chemical industry—from DuPont, founded in 1802, to Zeneca, which emerged from ICI Americas in 1993. Ac cording to the exhibit materials, in 1769, Benjamin Rush became the first profes sor of chemistry in America. Later to sign the Declaration of Independence, Rush taught at the College of Philadel phia. In 1802, Eleuthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours built gunpowder mills on the banks of the Brandywine River in Wilmington, Del. In 1860, John and Frank Wyeth, both graduates of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, established a drugstore in Philadelphia. Their enterprise was not only a store but also a working laboratory. In 1885, brothers James, Edward, and Robert Wood Johnson founded a medical supply company in New Brunswick, N.J., which was later incorporated as Johnson & Johnson, just to name a few of the region's notables. In 1929, Smith, Kline & French developed Benzedrine, an amphetamine inhaler used to treat colds and fever, which was eventually replaced by Benzidrex, a nonstimulating analog of Benzedrine developed by Glenn Ullyot and other scientists. A long-time Philadelphia Section member, Ullyot was at the exhibit's opening. Indeed, many of the items on display were everyday items; for example, nylon, Plexiglas acrylic plastic, Tylenol analgesic, Band-Aid adhesive bandages, and Gore-Tex water repellant fabric—all developed by chemical scientists at companies in the Philadelphia region. After opening the exhibit, Kelso described the Chemical Manufacturers Association's Responsible Care program as well as initiatives in the areas of chemical testing, children's health, and endocrine disruption. 'These activities should go a long way toward improving the image of the chemical industry," he said. 'The Chemical Heritage Foundation has the same thing in mind through the celebration of the rich history of the chemical industry in this region." After the exhibit's opening, the Philadelphia Section honored its 50-year members with a luncheon. The invited speaker, Alfred Bader, founder of Aldrich Chemical Co. and an avid art collector and philanthropist, talked about his adventures as a chemist and collector and the treasures that can be uncovered through application of chemistry—and a good pinch of luck—in art restoration. Linda Raber JUNE 14,1999 C&EN
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