Assistant Professor of Chemistry Nicole Snyder and Kevin W. Graepel ’11 published a chapter in Named Reactions for Carbocyclic Ring Formations edited by Jie Jack Li of Bristol Myers Squibb and E. J. Corey of Harvard University (Nobel Prize 1990). The chapter, “Ring Closing Metathesis,” focuses on the use of the Grubbs and Schrock catalysts (Nobel Prize 2005) to prepare carbocycles (ring structures containing only carbon atoms). Highlights of their work include the use of ring-closing metathesis in the synthesis of a biogenic precursor to artemisinin, a compound which is currently the most fast acting pharmaceutical against Plasmodium falciparum, one of several malaria-causing species, and Taxol®, a compound currently used to treat ovarian cancer.
Snyder was only one of three small liberal arts faculty invited to write a chapter for the book and Graepel was the only contributing undergraduate student. Snyder is currently working with two Hamilton undergraduates on two additional book chapters for other books in the Named Reactions series.
Snyder was only one of three small liberal arts faculty invited to write a chapter for the book and Graepel was the only contributing undergraduate student. Snyder is currently working with two Hamilton undergraduates on two additional book chapters for other books in the Named Reactions series.
