June 26, 2009 - Today, Brendan Kelly presented the molecule (and Merck drug) Sitagliptin (Januvia). There will be no meeting next Friday, July 3rd - Happy fourth!

If you are interested in giving a presentation, your "Molecule in Review" can be a natural product, a catalyst, or some otherwise synthetically useful compound. Signup here. You can download the template for presentations here. All are welcome to join us for these presentations.

The Columbia Chemistry Synthesis Literacy Group began in June 2006 as a means of expanding our individual exposure to the historical literature by working together. Recognizing the ever-expansive state of the literature, members - who come from a variety of organic research groups within The Department - meet on a weekly basis to engage in presentations which are meant as focused highlights from a particular subject. Overall, our cooperation moves toward broadening interests, creating an accessible database, and understanding how synthetic technologies have progressed over time as a means of inspiring how our own research will serve to continue that effort.

For the summer of 2006, annual reviews for 30 years of the Journal of the American Chemical Society was presented. Spring through summer 2007, selected chemists were chosen for Careers in Review. In 2008, Named Reactions was the focus of the group. For 2009, our theme is Molecule in Review, in which group members will present on a natural product, a catalyst, or other synthetically important moloecule. In addition to reviewing other decades and journals, members in the future will present on a variety of other topics related to organic synthesis. These presentations will continually be made available to the public.