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© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA ChemistryViews.org | 1

ChemistryViews.org

is a comprehensive free-to-view news and information site with an associated scientific

magazine, ChemViews Magazine. It is provided by ChemPubSoc Europe, an organization of

16 European chemical societies, to the global chemistry community.

ChemistryViews.org is closely linked to society journals such as Angewandte Chemie and

Chemistry – A European Journal.

Sample Articles

2 Why Does C2 Cause so Many Problems?

3 How Amino Acids Formed in the Universe

4 Snapshot of Light as Both a Particle and Wave

5 International Chemical Trade

6 Insulation through an Organic Polyurethane-Based Aerogel

7 Microalgae – Underestimated All-Rounders

8 Tips and Tricks for the Lab: Column Choices

9 Applying for a Job at Merck

10 What is Shale Gas? How Does Fracking Work?

11 Fresh Wind in the Austrian Young Chemists Section

12 Chemistry of a Hangover – Alcohol and its Consequences

13 The Chemistry of Breaking Bad

14 Guess the Chemist (51) & The Science of Football

15 Awards Accepting Nominations & Event Calendar

16 Writing Tips & Carbonate Looping

17 Why Agree to an Article Transfer?

Research

Industry

Education

Fun

Videos

& Tips

s

2 | ChemistryViews.org © Wiley-VCH Verlag Gmbh & Co. KGaA

Research

Why Does C2 Cause so Many Problems?

This small modest molecule has been the subject of a lot of attention over the past years as to what

the bonding situation is between these two atoms, as can be seen from the selection of references

given here [1–8]. To put it in very simple terms, there appear two main theories—a quadruple bond

and not a quadruple bond (in fact somewhere in between two and three bonds). In the latest issue of

Chemistry—A European Journal, four groups put forward arguments in favor of one or other of these

two theories [9–12].

Dr. Anne Deveson has asked the main authors of these four papers, Professor Dieter Cremer

(Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, USA), Professor Gernot Frenking (Marburg University,

Germany), Professor Mario Piris (Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Donostia, Spain), and Professor Sason

Shaik (The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel), to tell us why this is so important.

Please describe your findings in an easy to understand way.

Mario Piris: The carbon atom has four valence electrons and four valence orbitals. Consequently,

carbon could unpair these four electrons by putting each one in a different valence orbital, or in each

of the resulting four sp3 hybrid atomic orbitals. The pairing of each of the electrons of two adjacent

carbon atoms could, in principle, result in a quadruply bonded dimer. However, the quantum

mechanics of the molecular electronic structure puts in place other (subtle) effects that might result

in a reduced bond order. Indeed, we found that C2 bears a bond order intermediate between

ethylene and acetylene. […]

Anne Deveson, Dieter Cremer, Gernot Frenking, Mario Piris, Sason Shaik

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201600022

Read more on ChemistryViews.org


Research

How Amino Acids Formed in the Universe

Within the Rosetta mission of the European Space Agency (ESA), Darmstadt, Germany, the Philae

lander made the first soft landing on a comet nucleus by touching down on comet 67P/Churyumov-

Gerasimenko in 2014. Philae carried out eleven experiments.

Comets largely consist of condensed ices and dust and circle the sun on elliptical orbits. They are

remnants of the birth of our solar system and are therefore important witnesses from ancient times.

Professor Uwe Meierhenrich, University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, France, is known for his research on

the identification of amino acids in space and was involved in the preparation and realization of the

Rosetta mission.

What got you interested as a chemist in space research?

During my PhD thesis, I became fascinated by stereochemistry and chirality-related questions. I

wanted to know why biological organisms develop proteins that contain exclusively L-enantiomers of

amino acids and genetic material that specifically employs units in D-configuration. To understand

this evolutionary period called biomolecular symmetry breaking, we need to understand and

reproduce the formation of the first organic molecules, of chiral molecules, if possible. Experiments

used on a space mission like Rosetta are unique and can help us to find answers to these

fundamental questions. […]

Vera Koester, Uwe Meierhenrich

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201500104



Research

Snapshot of Light as Both a Particle and Wave

Can an image capture the dual behavior of light?

It is well known that light can behave as a particle and as a wave, but it took until 2015 to capture

this dual behavior of light simultaneously in an image [1].

Fabrizio Carbone and his team at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland,

fired a pulse of infrared laser light at silver nanowires, which were located on a layer of multilayered

graphene. The laser light stimulated electronic plasma oscillations in the nanowires, as it adds energy

to the charged particles in the nanowire, thus causing them to oscillate. This electromagnetic far field

is accompanied by an electromagnetic near field located directly on the wire surface. Light travels

back and forth on the nanowire. When waves traveling in opposite directions meet, they form a

standing wave.

To image this standing wave of light, the scientists shot a stream of electrons close to the nanowire.

As the electrons interacted with the confined light on the nanowire, they either sped up or slowed

down. By using an ultrafast microscope, Carbone’s team imaged the position where this change in

speed occurred. By doing this they were able to visualize the standing wave, which acts as a

fingerprint of the wave-nature of light.

At the same time, this phenomenon shows the particle-like character of light: As the electrons pass

close to the standing wave of light, they hit the photons. This affects their speed, and this change in

speed appears as an exchange of energy packets, called quanta, between electrons and photons. […]

Vera Koester

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201500036



Industry

International Chemical Trade

The international chemical industry has seen a slow recovery according to the latest Facts & Figures

report [1] by the European Chemical Industry Council (cefic).

The value of worldwide chemicals sales in 2013 was 3,156 billion €, an increase of 2.4 % compared to

the previous year. This was mostly driven by China, where chemicals sales swelled from 918 billion €

in 2012 to 1,047 billion € in 2013. The European Union and the United States had very similar total

chemicals sales in 2013 and share the second rank. […]

Chemicals Sales in 2013 – Absolute Values

(EU = EU-28, NAFTA = North American Free Trade Agreement, excluding pharmaceuticals, [1])


DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201500014


Industry

Insulation through an Organic Polyurethane-

Based Aerogel

Dr. Marc Fricke, laboratory head for Advanced Materials & Systems Research, BASF Polyurethanes

GmbH, Lemförde, Germany, has developed a novel type of aerogel, which will be offered as an

extremely thin and mechanically strong insulating panel, together with his team. It shows exceptional

insulation performance, is light, has moisture-regulation performance, and will be produced as an

aerogel panel that is easy to apply.

What kind of material is the new insulation panel made of?

The material is an organic aerogel based on polyurethane chemistry that shows an interesting

combination of properties. This includes not only very low thermal conductivity – the λ value is quite

low – but in addition it is a strong panel, and it is water vapor diffusive. Owing to its open-porous

structure, it can absorb water or water vapor condensates within the nanopores, and it can release

the water again. This makes it especially interesting for construction materials, especially for

insulation applications. We can fine-tune the properties by using its chemistry.

And you are going to present this at the aerogel workshop at the TU Harburg?

Yes, I am looking forward to the academic discussion during this workshop organized by Professor

Smirnova where the who's who of the chemical as well as the process engineering aerogel […]


Vera Koester (Image: © Presse Photo BASF)

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201400093


Industry

Microalgae – Underestimated All-Rounders

Microalgae, as one of the most important global biomass producers, do not only largely contribute

to our global oxygen production, they are also able to produce several high value compounds with a

high nutritional value. Next to natural antioxidant colorants, microalgae can contain high amounts of

protein and omega-3-fatty acids which may help to prevent heart diseases. On the other hand,

microalgae produce oil which might be a future fuel. Nevertheless, there is still a lot of research to do

to make these things profitable.

1 Life at the Beginning of the Food Chain

Microalgae represent a diverse group of plant-like, unicellular organisms. Nowadays, it is estimated

that about 300.000 different species exist on earth. Around 40.000 species are actually described and

a few are analyzed in detail [1,2]. The term "microalgae" includes prokaryotic cyanobacteria as well

as eukaryotic microalgae species (Fig. 1) capable of growing in presence of sea water (e.g. oceans),

fresh water (e.g. lakes, rivers) and on several kinds of ground surfaces (e.g. soil) [3]. […]

Felix Derwenskus, Claudia Holdmann

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201500106



Education

Tips and Tricks for the Lab: Column Choices

Column chromatography is a commonly used purification technique in labs across the world. Done

right it can simply and quickly isolate desired compounds from a mixture. But like many aspects of

practical chemistry, the quick and efficient setting up and running of a column is something that can

take years to master. Here we present some of the tips and tricks of the trade to help you optimize

all the experimental parameters to get the best separation of your compounds.

Columns are generally used in organic and inorganic labs to remove unreacted starting material or

isolate one desired product from a range of by-products after a reaction has been performed. To do

this, the mixed sample is passed down a vertical glass tube packed with silica or alumina and

collected in small portions, or fractions, at the end. The various components of the sample are

separated into their different compound types through interaction with the solvent and the silica.

Polar compounds will interact with the silica more strongly than non-polar ones so will come off the

column, or elute, after non-polar compounds. When a sample contains compounds with similar

polarity, the separation between then can be small and recovering all of your clean sample can

become a challenge.

While correctly packing your column is arguably the most important experimental factor, there

remain several other factors that can be optimized to help you achieve the best separation possible

in the shortest amount of time. Here we guide you through how to choose the best solvent system

for your sample, and look at how much silica you will need and in which size column. […]

Sarah Millar

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201200074



Education

Applying for a Job at Merck

ChemistryViews.org and the Career Service of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh, German

Chemical Society) asked international companies what they expect from applications, for example,

for an entry-level position.

Dr.-Ing. Karin J. Schmitz, Career Service of the GDCh, and Dr. Vera Koester, ChemistryViews.org,

talked with Peer Elger Schotmann, Global Executive Recruiting at Merck KGaA.

Mr. Schotmann, what should a curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé contain?

Firstly, a CV should contain personal information such as name, address, contact details, etc. as well

as hobbies, community activities, and association memberships. The latter is optional to show your

extracurricular/avocational activities. Of course, your educational background needs to be included:

what/when/where you studied, which degree and what grades you achieved.

Graduates should also include when/where/with which majors/which degree school their education

was completed. The career background should be included as well, starting with the most recent

employment and its start/end date, the name of the employer, the job title, and job description in

bullet points. Don't forget to add your language skills!

Is it necessary to include a photograph?

Merck is a globalized company, so overall it is not mandatory to include a photograph. […]

Karin Schmitz, Vera Koester

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201500057



Education

What is Shale Gas? How Does Fracking Work?

Everywhere you can read about the shale gas rush in North Dakota, Texas, and Montana, all USA.

The USA is the largest producer of shale gas. Their shale gas production rose from 2000 to 2010 from

2 to 23 % overall gas production with the trend still rising [1].

How do hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and horizontal drilling make natural gas trapped in shale rock

formations financially feasible and accessible?

Shale Gas

Shale is a compressed fine-grained type of sedimentary rock. It was formed from mud silt, clay, and

organic matter.

Shale gas is natural gas trapped within tiny pore spaces in shale formations. It is a hydrocarbon gas

mixture. It consists mainly of methane. Other hydrocarbons are natural gas liquids (NGLs) like

ethane, propane, and butane, and it also contains carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and hydrogen sulfide.

Horizontal Drilling and Fracking

Horizontal drilling allows drilling vertically several thousand meters (typically 6,000 m) deep and then

turning 90 ° and drilling horizontally. […]

[…]

Vera Koester

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.20130001



Education

Fresh Wind in the Austrian Young Chemists

Section

The leading team of the Austrian Chemical Society's (GÖCH) Young Chemists Division consists of

seven former student council members from the University of Innsbruck: Simon Albertini, Emanuel

Ehmki, Stefan Felderer, Simon Hofer, Veronika Huber (chairwoman), Elisabeth Mairhofer, and Martin

Wieser. The team started its work in 2013, and aims to build a larger network covering other Austrian

universities, as well as represent the interests of young chemists towards GÖCH, the chemical

industry, and the public.

Simon Hofer

At the time we started to study chemistry in Innsbruck, we, the "Jungchemiker"

(young chemists), were still clueless about what to expect at university. As a bunch

of newly found friends, we revived the students' council for chemistry in our

second year. From there on, we stood up for the interests and listened to the

concerns of our fellow students. Additionally, we organized many events to

enhance the communication between the students and their professors. During

this time, I personally learned a lot about dealing with challenging situations, like

project management or taking part in fierce negotiations.

In my opinion, our biggest achievement during our work in the student's council was to bring people

together and to establish a new identity of chemistry students in Innsbruck. […]

Simon Albertini, Emanuel Ehmki, Stefan Felderer, Simon Hofer, Veronika Huber, Elisabeth Mairhofer, Martin Wieser

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201600004



Fun

Chemistry of a Hangover — Alcohol and its

Consequences

How can a tiny molecule like ethanol be at the root of so much human misery?

Here we propose to get to the bottom of the chemical consequences of a night of celebrating to

excess.

Many of us know from painful experience how the over-enjoyment of alcohol can disagree with our

systems. Nevertheless, the tendency persists, over and over again, to suppress this simple bit of

wisdom. The typical symptoms: after a short period of lifted inhibitions, accompanied by increasingly

childish tomfoolery, usually serious problems with speech follow. Continuing to imbibe further leads

to confusion and loss of orientation, as well as an inability to move the extremities in a coordinated

fashion. The state of complete inebriation produces total helplessness from a fully impaired sense of

equilibrium.

It‘s true that all the alcohol consumed will be completely metabolized within 8–12 hours, but the

physical effects last longer. There arises what is colloquially referred to as a “hangover”, or

“veisalgia” in medical terminology. The latter is in turn a word derived from the Norwegian “kveis”,

for indisposition brought on by intemperance, and the Greek “algia” for pain. Typical symptoms

include nausea, vomiting, equilibrium problems, general weakness, lack of appetite, dry mouth, etc.

Given that the ethanol culprit has already been metabolized by the time the first symptoms of a

hangover appear, the question naturally arises: What is it that actually tortures us to the point […]

Klaus Roth

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201000074



Fun

The Chemistry of Breaking Bad

A recreational vehicle (RV) breaks the silence of the New Mexico desert. The driver, wearing only

his underpants and a gas mask and showing signs of middle-age spread, steers it crashing into the

embankment. The door bursts open, the driver falls out and, cursing, rips the gas mask from his face:

Walter H. White, 50 years old, glasses and a highly talented scientist who is increasingly disillusioned

in his work at a High School in Albuquerque. To help his family make ends meet, Walter is forced to

take on a side job working at a car wash.

Walter H. White: hero or anti-hero? Driving force or driven by other forces? Chemist! Welcome to

Breaking Bad.

Walter H. White is the protagonist of the multi-award-winning American TV series Breaking Bad,

which runs for a total of five seasons and is especially popular among young audiences.

At the beginning of the series, he is diagnosed with lung cancer and, in face of his seemingly

unavoidable and imminent death, he searches for a way to establish financial security for his heavily

pregnant wife, Skyler, and his handicapped son, Walter Jr. On hearing how much money can be made

in the narcotics business, he accompanies his brother-in-law, Hank Schrader, who works for the DEA

(Drug Enforcement Agency) on a raid. He recognizes his former student, Jesse Pinkman, fleeing the

scene.

With a mixture of cool calculation and pure desperation, Walter decides to get involved in the

narcotics business and to synthesize crystal meth (N-methylamphetamine) to a very high quality. […]

Falk Harnisch, Tunga Salthammer

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201300114



Fun

Guess the Chemist (51)

The scientist we are looking for this time made important contributions to protein chemistry, for

which he or she received high honors. During college, our chemist was not entirely focused on

academics, but also played on the football team. […]

Who are we looking for?

Fun

The Science of Football

In time for the European soccer championship in Poland and Ukraine, ChemistryViews gives you an

overview of some of the scientific aspects involved in a football game. […]

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201600020

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201200063


Awards

Awards Accepting Nominations

Regularly updated details about awards and prizes with open nominations

Events

Event Calendar

Listing of chemistry and chemistry-related conferences, exhibitions, seminars, and

workshops/training courses, including the option to submit your own event to the list

http://bit.ly/1pzY41T

http://www.chemistryviews.org/

events


Videos

Writing Tips

Explaining scientific principles in simple and understandable language is a valuable skill: Insider tips

on taking care of what you write

Videos

Carbonate Looping

The Carbonate Looping technology as a post-combustion process has been identified as one of the

most promising approaches to capture CO2 from power plants at reasonable expenses. It can be

integrated into existing power plants and, thus, is seen as a milestone towards CO2-free power

plants.

In this short video, Professor Bernd Epple, Technical University Darmstadt, Germany, gives an

introduction into the technology and shows the pilot plant which the Institute for Energy Systems

and Energy Technology of the Technical University in Darmstadt has run for more than 1000 hours.

[…]

http://bit.ly/2BwPGaL

Elmar Zimmermann, Vera Köster (Video Editing: Lynsey Geldeard)

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201400036


Clever Picture

Why Agree to an Article Transfer?

Your questions about article transfer answered: How does it work? How easy is it? What do I have

to do? What does the editor do? How do I benefit—as an author and as a referee? […]

Editorial Team

Dr. Vera Koester

Editor-in-Chief

Website Managing Editor

Catharina Goedecke

Associate Editor

Register for our free newsletters at

www.chemistryviews.org/registration

Anne Deveson, Theresa Kueckmann (Graphic: Gunther Schulz)

DOI: 10.1002/chemv.201700072

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