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January 31, 2006

U.S. Warns Of Acetylene Risk

Safety board recommends new precautions for handling flammable gas after investigation of New Jersey explosion.

January 30, 2006

Linde Bids For BOC

BOC rejects the offer, but stock analysts are intrigued.

Peptide Synthesis Reinvented

Versatile amide-forming reaction could transform field of biomolecular synthesis.

Earnings Mixed

First reports from chemical firms show widely varying results for fourth quarter.

Yeast Cells Brim With Machinery

Thousands of proteins mix and match into hundreds of complexes.

Fluorochemical Challenge

EPA asks companies to eliminate compounds from products, emissions.

January 27, 2006

NIH Rolls Out New Award

Program bridges gap between postdoc and independent researcher.

Tough Ceramic Emerges From Ice

Freezing water acts as template to build ceramic composite that resembles nacre.

BASF Spurned

Engelhard rejects BASF's $4.9 billion hostile takeover bid as inadequate.

Industry In China

China's environment agency warns that numerous chemical plants there are not operating safely.

January 26, 2006

Microwaves Confirmed To Enhance Reaction Rates

Microwave-driven continuous microreactors could prove useful for small-scale industrial processes.

MDI Project Eyed For China

BASF and Huntsman consider a second big isocyanates plant there

New Vision For NSF

National Science Board outlines agency direction, goals, and strategies.

Lonza Slates More Biologics

Custom manufacturer reveals new investments in U.S. and Europe.

January 25, 2006

Peptides Trapped On A Thread

Synthetic peptide rotaxanes may provide insights into natural interlocked systems.

ACS Chemical Biology Launches

New journal at interface of chemistry and biology focuses on different editorial model.

January 24, 2006

U.S. Ranks 28th In Meeting Environmental Goals

New Zealand, most of Western Europe, Canada, and Japan score high on meeting key objectives.

January 23, 2006

Total Synthesis Of Telomerase Agent

Natural product has been a focus of efforts by several synthetic groups.

Tufts Report Anticipates Upturn

Cites drugmakers' actions to accelerate drug development.

New Class Of Topoisomerase

Crystal structure of archaeal enzyme reveals that it is a unique type.

Making Nanotubes SuperStretchy

Rigid carbon structures become superplastic at high temperatures.

January 20, 2006

Boosting U.S. Competitiveness

Senate bills aim to strengthen the nation's science and technology expertise.

Alcohols Oxidized Without Solvent

Green approach to aldehyde synthesis employs gold-palladium catalyst.

Lonza Fortifies Peptides Business

Swiss firm underscores fine chemicals leadership with purchase of UCB unit.

January 19, 2006

U.S. May Have Killed Chemical Weapons Expert

Egyptian scientist thought to be among the dead from airstrike in Pakistan.

Emissions Strategy

Six Countries Vow To Fight Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Protect Economic Growth.

Trojan Horse Battles Zebra Mussels

Particles packed with KCl get past mussels' defenses to kill the invasive species.

Hong Kong School Offers Sweet Deal

University makes "pay one, get 10" offer to nanotech research firms.

Perchlorate Remediation

Tronox gets $20.5 million to help clean up contamination at Nevada site.

Ranbaxy's Profits Drop Again

Indian firm also announces transition at the top.

January 18, 2006

DSM Files Lawsuit Against Chinese Firm

Dutch firm seeks to stop sale of competing high-performance fiber.

January 16, 2006

Dicer Yields Its Structural Secrets

Architecture of RNAi enzyme suggests it measures and then snips its substrates.

Givaudan And IFF Plan To Revamp

Moves may be coincidental rather than emblematic of a struggling industry.

Ladder Polyethers In A Snap

Directing group governs regioselective epoxide opening, then is jettisoned.

New Fulbright

Award for foreign science students is part of State Department effort to promote U.S. education.

January 13, 2006

New Arctic Area Opened To Drilling

Production in oil- and gas-rich Alaskan reserve could begin as soon as the winter of 2007–08.

Pfizer Buys Full Rights To Exubera

FDA is expected to decide fate of novel diabetes drug by the end of the month.

Clot Plot Thickens

A phosphate polymer emerges as an unsung player in blood chemistry.

Assessing Risk

White House proposes government-wide benchmarks to evaluate numerous risks.

January 12, 2006

ACS Joins Chemical Hazards Alliance

Society joins OSHA, industry groups in effort to prevent chemical reactivity accidents.

Roche Inks Novel Biotech Agreements

In a twist, big Swiss firm licenses compounds to biotech partners.

Solvay Strikes Chemical Deals

Belgian firm buys U.S. polymer company, forms Chinese venture.

January 11, 2006

Science Retracts Stem Cell Papers

Investigation finds South Korean stem cell work to be fraudulent; journal responds.

DOE Settles Hanford Suit

Agreement appears to end a two-year court battle over proposed waste shipments to the former nuclear site.

Chemists Forge New Bonds In India

Meeting brings U.S. and Indian scientists together to share ideas and build networks.

January 10, 2006

Anions Bind In A Twist

Interstrand cavities of triple helicate systems encapsulate chloride ions.

Tripos Assesses Strategic Options

Chemistry services firm says it may split informatics and research businesses.

January 9, 2006

Electrochemical Insights Gained

Method elucidates elementary steps of water activation at metal electrodes.

Drug Majors Push Into Biotechnology

Wyeth, AstraZeneca carry their run on collaborations into the new year.

One-Pot Route To Nanocontainer

Eighteen molecular units condense to form covalent, hexameric host molecule.

Good News For 2006 R&D Investment

Industrial R&D spending in the U.S. likely will rise, but not as fast as revenues.

January 6, 2006

Rhodia To Exit Custom Synthesis

Firm is selling business to India's Shasun Chemicals.

BASF Launches Bid For Engelhard

If successful, German firm's hostile offer would make it a leader in catalysts.

Dye Nanoparticles Aid Water Analysis

Affixed indicator dyes may yield more reliable test strips for heavy metals.

Changing Cambrex

Firm abandons specialty therapeutics track; President and CEO Leone steps down.

January 5, 2006

Fertilizer Cuts And Increases

Natural gas prices hit two firms, but a third is immune from them and is expanding.

Triplet Diphenylcarbene Has Staying Power

Diradical molecule with unpaired electrons can survive for a day.

January 4, 2006

Natural Gas Dispute Is Settled, But Questions Remain

Agreement enables Ukraine to stem rise in natural gas prices.

January 3, 2006

Public Land For Yucca Mountain Rail

Bureau reserves corridor to site in Nevada for possible rail shipment of nuclear waste.

January 2, 2006

Flip-flopped Structure

Finding suggests mechanism for how protein pumps drugs out of cells.

Novartis, Crucell Vie For Switzerland's Berna

Already in the process of buying Chiron, Novartis has stepped up its pursuit of the vaccine business.