A chemist from the University of Houston has been honoured for his work in simplifying the manufacture of drugs and plastics.

Olafs Daugulis, Assistant Professor of Chemistry in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the university, is to be named an Alfred P Sloan Research Fellow for 2008.

He is among 118 young scientists to receive the award after developing a simple technique that saves time, produces less waste, and reduces costs when making compounds used for pharmaceuticals and plastics.

"We are taking a carbon-hydrogen bond and converting it directly to a carbon-carbon bond without going through an intermediate step," he said.

This method initially incorporated a metallic complex composed of palladium.

"This means fewer synthetic steps in getting to what you want to make. Instead of two to five steps, we are doing it in one," he explained.

Following his nomination, Mr Daugulis plans to hire a graduate student with the two-year $50,000 grant that his acceptance into the fellowship brings.

Source:

Simplifying manufacture of drugs, plastics earns UH chemist top honor, 24/03/08
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/uoh-smo032408.php

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