| Fine Chemicals Manufacture with Microreactors |
| A short review of the way in which microreactors are being used at SAFC Pharma in Switzerland has recently been published (A Weiler, Chem & Ind, 2009, Apr 27, pp 19-21). This is followed by an account of the successful introduction of microreactor processes and process intensification at DSM Austria for making fine chemicals (S Braune and P Poechlauer, ibid, 21-24). 
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| Isocyanide-based Multicomponent Reactions “without” Isocyanides |
| This intriguing title of a paper refers to a method of making isocyanides “in-situ” and then reacting further in standard multicomponent reactions such as Ugi and Passerini.
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| From Oblivion into the Limelight: Iron Catalysis |
| A short highlight with 23 references on the use of iron catalysis, with particular application in domino reactions has appeared (A Furstner, Ang. Chem. Int. Ed., 2009, 48, 1364-7).
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| Possible Explosions When using Magnesium Nitride |
| Magnesium nitride has been recommended as a reagent for converting esters to amides as well as in the preparation of heterocyclics sich as dihydropyridines and pyrroles ...
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| Isomerisation of Allylic Alcohols to Aldehydes |
| The isomerisation of primary allylic alcohols to aldehydes has been achieved using an analogue of Crabtree’s iridium catalyst, normally used for hydrogenation, and by tuning the experimental conditions.
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| Recent Advances in the Chemistry and Biology of Naturally-Occurring Antiobiotics |
| This extensive review by K C Nicolaou and coworkers (Angew Chem Int Ed, 2009, 48, 660-719) covers both old and new antibiotic classes including Tetracyclines, Thiopeptide Antibiotics, Pseudomonic acids, Kinamycin C, Ramaplanin A2, Lysobactin, Abyssomicins and finally Inhibitors of Fatty-Acid Biosynthesis.
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| Other interesting articles ... |
| Iron Catalysed Synthesis 2-Arylbenzimidazoles and Benzothiazoles Under Solvent Free Conditions |
| Carbonylation with Carbon Dioxide |
| Cyclic Carbonate Formation in Water |
| ... and finally ... |
| ... you might be a engineer if... choosing to buy flowers for your girlfriend or upgrading your RAM is a moral dilemma. |
