What's Cooking in Chemistry? E-Book

• Herausgeber: Wiley-VCH
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Serie: Erlebnis Wissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 244

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

Sie suchen den geeigneten Arbeitskreis für Ihren Postdoc-Aufenthalt? Oder suchen das optimale Geschenk für Ihre Freunde, die Chemiker sind? Vielleicht kochen Sie einfach gerne und suchen neue Rezepte? Ja? Dann ist dieses Buch für Sie gemacht! Dieses erste "Who is Who" der Organischen Chemie zeigt eindeutig, dass berühmte Wissenschaftler nicht nur im Labor, sondern auch am Herd in der Küche gerne und exzellent kochen. Servieren Sie beispielsweise einfache Köstlichkeiten wie Fisch mit Pommes a la K. C. Nicolaou. Mehr als 50 Lieblingsrezepte verschiedener Schwierigkeitsgrade berühmter Organiker wie "Einsame Suppe" (Evans), Toskanisches Wildschwein (Waldmann) oder "Dulce de Leche" (Vollhardt), ihre Biographien und ihre ausführlich recherchierten Forschungsinteressen finden Sie in dieser unterhaltsamen und informativen Zusammenstellung. Eine exquisite Delikatesse für jeden, der gerne kocht, gerne gut ißt und die Chemie liebt.

Leseprobe

Contents

Martin Banwell

Scientific Sketch

Robert G. Bergman

Scientific Sketch

Dale L. Boger

Scientific Sketch

Carsten Bolm

Scientific Sketch

Ronald Breslow

Scientific Sketch

Reinhard Brückner

Scientific Sketch

Gianfranco Cainelli

Scientific Sketch

Erick M. Carreira

Scientific Sketch

Armin de Meijere

Scientific Sketch

Scott E. Denmark

Scientific Sketch

Ulf Diederichsen

Scientific Sketch

Alessandro Dondoni

Scientific Sketch

Dieter Enders

Scientific Sketch

David A. Evans

Scientific Sketch

Marye Anne Fox

Scientific Sketch

Burchard Franck

Scientific Sketch

Robin L. Garrell Kendall N. Houk

Scientific Sketch

Scientific Sketch

Cesare Gennari

Scientific Sketch

Robert H. Grubbs

Scientific Sketch

John F. Hartwig

Scientific Sketch

Clayton H. Heathcock

Scientific Sketch

Wolfgang Anton Herrmann

Scientific Sketch

Donald Hilvert

Scientific Sketch

Reinhard W. Hoffmann

Scientific Sketch

Dieter Hoppe

Scientific Sketch

Hiriyakkanavar Ila

Scientific Sketch

Karl Anker Jørgensen

Scientific Sketch

Alan Roy Katritzky

Scientific Sketch

Horst Kessler

Scientific Sketch

Horst Kunz

Scientific Sketch

Richard C. Larock

Scientific Sketch

Steven Victor Ley

Scientific Sketch

Lewis N. Mander

Scientific Sketch

Johann Mulzer

Scientific Sketch

Ei-ichi Negishi

Scientific Sketch

Kyriacos C. Nicolaou

Scirntific Sketch

Leo Armand Paquette

Scientific Sketch

Manfred T. Reetz

Scientific Sketch

Daniel H. Rich

Scientific Sketch

Herbert W. Roesky

Scientific Sketch

Gyula Schneider

Scientific Sketch

Lawrence T. Scott

Scientific Sketch

Victor Snieckus

Scientific Sketch

Martin Suhm

Scientific Sketch

Marcello Tiecco

Scientific Sketch

Lutz Friedjan Tietze

Scientific Sketch

Claudio Trombini

Scientific Sketch

Rocco Ungaro

Scientific Sketch

Edwin Vedejs

Scientific Sketch

K. Peter C. Vollhardt

Scientific Sketch

Herbert Waldmann

Scientific Sketch

Ekkehard Winterfeldt

Scientific Sketch

Peter Wipf

Scientific Sketch

Yoshinori Yamamoto

Scientific Sketch

Axel Zeeck

Scientific Sketch

Index

Related Titles

Froböse, R.

Wenn Frösche vom Himmel fallen

Die verrücktesten Naturphänomene

2009

ISBN 978-3-527-32619-8

Voss-de Haan, P.

Physik auf der Spur

Kriminaltechnik heute

2009

ISBN 978-3-527-40944-0

Emsley, J.

Fritten, Fett und Faltencreme

Noch mehr Chemie im Alltag

2009

ISBN 978-3-527-32620-4

Koolman,J., Moeller, H., Röhm, K. H. (eds.)

Kaffee, Käse, Karies ...

Biochemie im Alltag

2009

ISBN 978-3-527-32622-8

All books published by Wiley-VCH are carefully produced. Nevertheless, authors, editors, and publisher do not warrant the information contained in these books, including this book, to be free of errors. Readers are advised to keep in mind that statements, data, illustrations, procedural details or other items may inadvertently be inaccurate.

Library of Congress Card No.:

applied for

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek

The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de.

© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

All rights reserved (including those of translation into other languages). No part of this book may be reproduced in any form – by photoprinting, microfilm, or any other means – nor transmitted or translated into a machine language without written permission from the publishers. Registered names, trademarks, etc. used in this book, even when not specifically marked as such, are not to be considered unprotected by law.

ISBN978-3-527-32621-1

Druck und Bindung: Ebner & Spiegel GmbH, Ulm

Cover: Himmelfarb, Eppelheim, www.himmelfarb.de

Dedicated to our mentor

Lutz Friedjan Tietze

on the occasion of his 60th birthday

Editorial

The passion for chemistry often goes together with a passion for good cuisine. Having this experience in mind, which resulted from the old tradition in our research group that everyone has to prepare an assortment of cakes for the others on the occasion of his birthday, we had the idea for this cookbook.

After inviting a number of well-known chemists from all around the world to participate in our project, we received the answers of some 60 professors who were inspired to send us a recipe, often together with some personal remarks about why they chose this particular one.

We are very grateful for their contributions that cover such different dishes as soups, meat, fish, sweet dishes, and even a punch. They are presented in this book together with short biographical and scientific sketches that might be interesting to read during the possible waiting times in the kitchen. Furthermore, we are indebted to M. Wöhr-mann, who supported us in the beginning of this project, and to S. Stewart, who helped us while struggling for the right words. To A. Kühn and S. Schliebitz we owe the careful proofreading of the manuscript and to S. Hellkamp the software support. Finally, we thank G. Walter (Wiley-VCH) for the fruitful cooperation.

We wish you a lot of pleasure with this book, citing Georg C. Lichtenberg (1742–1799), professor of physics at Göttingen University: “Wer nichts als Chemie versteht, versteht auch die nicht recht.” (“He who knows nothing but chemistry does not know chemistry either”).

Göttingen 2003

Hubertus P. Bell

Tim Feuerstein

Carlos E. Güntner

Sören Hölsken

J. Klaas Lohmann

Martin Banwell

was born on November 24, 1954, in Lower Hutt, New Zealand. He studied chemistry at the Victoria University of Wellington, where he received his B.Sc. Hons. (1st class) in 1977 and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry under the guidance of B. Halton in 1979. After a postdoctoral year with L. A. Paquette at the Ohio State University, Columbus, he returned to the University of Adelaide, South Australia, as a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Department of Organic Chemistry.

From 1993 to 1994 he was Associate Professor and Reader at the University of Melbourne. Since 1999 he has been Professor at the Australian National University in Canberra.

Among his fellowships and awards are the Rennie Medal of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (1986), the Grimwade Prize in Industrial Chemistry (1992), and the Humboldt Research Award of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2000). He was elected Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute in 1992, a Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science in 1999, and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 2000. Moreover, he is a member of the Honorary Advisory Board of Synlett (since 1997), the International Advisory Editorial Board of the New Journal of Chemistry (since 1997), the Editorial Board of the Indian Journal of Chemistry, Section B (since 1999), and an Associate Editor of the Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transaction I (since 1999) and of Methods in Organic Synthesis (since 1999).

He is author of approximately 150 papers in refereed journals; five patents have been issued to him.

Scientific Sketch

The research activities of Banwell's group are focused on developing new and efficient methodologies for the synthesis of target molecules ranging from biologically active natural products to compounds having unusual architectures that could be exploited for molecular recognition or materials science purposes. Natural products that have been targeted for synthesis include various anti-mitotic agents such as paclitaxel (Taxol™) (J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun. 1995, 1395) and lamellarin K (Fig. 1), an alkaloid isolated from a Pacific ascidian collected at the northeastern coast of Australia (J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun.1997 ,2259).

Figure 1. Lamellarin K (1).

The former compound is used clinically for the treatment of ovarian and breast cancers, while the latter shows great potential for combating multidrug-resistant cancers. The group's recently completed and highly convergent synthesis of compound 1 is now being adapted to the solid-phase to allow the generation of analogue libraries. Such libraries will be used to probe the structure/activity profile of this class of natural products and to construct novel hybrids with the colchicinoid class of anti-mitotic agents. In collaboration with Australian companies, Banwell is also engaged in developing concise syntheses of the polyketide herbicide herboxidiene (Pure Appl. Chem.2000, 72, 1631) and various analogues of the anti-influenza drug GG-167.

A second research focus involves compounds of the general structure shown in Fig. 2 which are obtained in multi-gram quantities and enantiomeric excesses of more than 99.8% by microbial oxidation of the corresponding aromatic.

Figure 2.cis-Dihydrocatechols 2 obtained by microbial oxidation.

These cis-1,2-dihyrocatechols embody unusual combinations of functionalities, and they are used as starting materials for the synthesis of a wide range of compounds including (+)- and (-)-steroids, (+)- and (-)-taxoids, pyrethroids, carbohydrates (e.g., vitamin C), and triquinoid natural products (J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 12002, 2439). Another broad area of activity is concerned with exploiting ring-fused gem-dihalogenocyclopropanes in chemical syntheses. These compounds, which are readily obtained via di-halocarbene addition to the corresponding cyclo-alkene, serve as a useful starting material for the synthesis of various natural products (J. Org. Chem.2000, 65, 4241). In addition, Banwell and coworkers have recently discovered that such compounds undergo a novel dimerization reaction, which allows the construction of molecular clefts possessing convergent functional groups. Certain of these clefts have shown an ability to “recognize” carbohydrates and are now “tuned” to optimize this recognition process. The longer term objective is to develop systems that might be used for diagnostic/analytical purposes. Furthermore, these clefts may serve as catalysts for various cycloaddition reactions.

Marinade for BBQ Kangaroo

Starting materials (serves 4):

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp “Blue Gum” honey (almost any honey will suffice)

1 tbsp light virgin olive oil

1 tbsp tomato sauce

1 piece (ca. 10 g) peeled root ginger

2 cloves garlic

500 g kangaroo loin (or fillet of beef)

Add the soy sauce, honey, oil, tomato sauce, and diced ginger to a generous-sized plastic container, then squeeze in the juice from the garlic cloves. “Striploin” fillet of kangaroo cut into small to medium portions is then added to the marinade and the mixture is stirred thoroughly so as to ensure that the entire surface of the meat is covered. Seal the container and store in the refrigerator for approximately 7–10 hours with occasional shaking.

The meat is removed from the marinade and immediately cooked on a BBQ (or in a fry pan) with a hot flame until (in the case of kangaroo, at least) rare to medium rare. The residual marinade can be used to baste the meat while it is cooking.

Serve the meat with a fresh green salad, corn on the cob, and a red wine (a McLaren Vale Shiraz from South Australia is especially appropriate).

«Kangaroo is a very lean, popular, and readily available meat in Australia. The marinade can also be used with beef. Using eucalyptus (gum tree) leaves and twigs as part of the BBQ fuel imparts an additional quality to the meat that many people enjoy.»

Martin Banwell

Robert G. Bergman

was born in Chicago on May 23, 1942. After completing his undergraduate studies in chemistry at Carleton College in 1963, he received his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin in 1966 under the direction of J. A. Berson. While at Wisconsin he was awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Predoctoral Fellowship. Bergman spent 1966 and 1967 as a NATO Fellow in R. Breslow’s laboratories at Columbia, and following that went to the California Institute of Technology as a Noyes Research Instructor. He was promoted to assistant professor in 1969, associate professor in 1971, and full professor in 1973. He accepted an appointment as Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1977, where he was appointed Gerald E. K. Branch Distinguished Professor in 2002. During his long scientific career, Bergman has received many awards and honors, which include the ACS Award in Organometallic Chemistry (1986), the Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award (1987), the E. F. Smith Award (1990), the I. Remsen Award (1990), a MERIT Award from the NIH (1991), the E. O. Lawrence Award in Chemistry from the U.S. Department of Energy (1994), the ACS Arthur C. Cope Award (1996), a Guggenheim Fellowship (1999), the American Institute of Chemists Chemical Pioneer Award (1999), the E. Leete Award for Teaching and Research in Organic Chemistry (2001), and a number of visiting professorships. He will soon receive the 2003 ACS James Flack Norris Award in Physical Organic Chemistry. Bergman is a member of the National Academy of Sciences (since 1984) and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (since 1984) and has served on many academic and administrative committees and review boards. He has been or is currently a member of the Editorial Advisory Boards of several scientific journals (e.g., Journal of Organic Chemistry, Organometallics, Chemical Reviews, International Journal of Chemical Kinetics, Synlett, and Organic Letters).

Scientific Sketch

Research in the Bergman group centers on organic and organometallic reactions that take place in homogeneous solution. Bergman’s early work in physical organic chemistry led to the discovery of the so-called “Bergman cyclization.” In this process, cis-enediynes cyclize when heated to generate 1,4-benzenoid diradicals (Fig. I), which then abstract hydrogen or halogen atoms to give stable aromatic products (Acc. Chem. Res.1973, 6,25).

Figure I. Thermal cyclization/aromatization of cis-hex-3-ene-1,5-diyne.

In his more recent studies, Bergman has focused on organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis. Bergman’s primary goals are to develop new stoichiometric and catalytic processes and to gain fundamental understanding of their mechanisms. One major effort is directed toward carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bond activation reactions. This involves the development and study of metal complexes that undergo intermolecular oxidative addition with the normally inert C-H bonds in alkanes and other organic molecules.

Figure 2. Ring-closure reactions catalyzed by Rh(I) that employ a C-H-activation step.

This process holds potential for converting methane and other hydrocarbons into useful functionalized organic molecules. Recent efforts have yielded directed catalytic C-H activation reactions that lead to efficient cyclization of a variety of organic substrates (Fig. 2, J. Am. Chem. Soc.2001, 123, 2685).

A second major area of investigation involves the study of the mechanisms of metal-mediated atom- and group-transfer processes using organometallic complexes having metal-oxygen, -nitrogen, and -sulfur bonds. Recent efforts in this area have yielded early transition metal imido (M=NR) complexes that undergo highly enantioselective cycloaddition reactions between metal-nitrogen multiple bonds and substituted allenes, (Fig. 3, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.2000,39, 2339) and the discovery of complexes with exceptionally basic nitrogen ligands.

Figure 3. The use of enantioresolved imido complexes in the kinetic resolution of chiral allenes.

These reactions are being applied to the development of efficient catalytic carbon-nitrogen bond-forming processes such as carbon-carbon multiple bond hydroamination reactions. Other projects in the group are directed at the design and synthesis of novel ligands for transition metal centers, and heterobinuclear complexes, that should provide entries to new and more selective catalytic transformations. Density functional theory is being used to supplement understanding obtained from mechanistic experiments and to help determine the direction of new experimental work.

Potato Latkes (Potato Pancakes): A Traditional Jewish Chanukah Dish

Starting materials:

6 large potatoes

1 small onion

2 eggs

3 tbsp flour

¼ tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Peel the potatoes and store them in a bowl of cold water to keep them from oxidizing. Grate the potatoes and onion as quickly as possible. Separate the liquid. Add the other ingredients and mix well. The consistency should be somewhat thick; add more flour if it seems too runny. Pour 60 mL oil into heated frying pan. When the oil bubbles, spoon pancake-sized portions onto a hot, pre-greased skillet. Turn when golden brown. Be sure to add fresh oil as needed so the potatoes do not burn. When both sides are golden brown, remove the latkes with a slotted spatula so that the oil will drain off, and layer on a plate between paper towels, which will absorb more oil. Continue until all of the potato batter is used. Serve hot with applesauce or sour cream.

«In the second century B.C., the inhabitants of Judea joined a rebellion against the kingdom of Antiochus IV under the leadership of a country priest named Mattathais and his five sons (of whom Judah became the most famous, known as “the hammer” or Maccabee). The Maccabees and their followers used guerrilla tactics to win the first national liberation struggle in recorded history. In 165 B.C. they retook Jerusalem, purified and rededicated the Temple, which had been vandalized and desecrated, and rekindled the eternal light, which is always to be kept burning. They had only a small amount of oil, but the holiday of Chanukah (which means “dedication”) was established to commemorate the legend that this small amount of oil kept the eternal light burning for eight days.

Potato latkes (potato pancakes) are a dish that Jews traditionally serve during the Chanukah holiday. It is certainly not clear that potatoes were available in ancient times, so the dish was probably developed in eastern Europe. The latkes are cooked in oil, another means of commemorating the eternal light legend.»

Robert G. Bergman

Dale L. Boger

was born on August 22, 1953 in Hutchinson, Kansas. He received his B.Sc. in chemistry from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas (1975, with highest distinction and honors in chemistry), and his Ph.D. in chemistry from Harvard University (1980) under the direction of E. J. Corey. He returned to the University of Kansas as a member of the faculty in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry (1979–1985), moved to the Department of Chemistry at Purdue University (1985–1991), and joined the faculty in the newly created Department of Chemistry at The Scripps Research Institute (1991–present) as the Richard and Alice Cramer Professor of Chemistry. Among Dale Boger’s numerous awards and honors are the ACS Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award (1988), the American Cyanamide Academic Award (1989), the ISCH Katritzky Award in Heterocyclic Chemistry (1997), the Aldrich ACS Award for Creativity in Organic Synthesis (1999), the A. R. Day Award (2000), and the Paul Janssen Award for Creativity in Organic Synthesis (2002). Since 1990 he has been editor of Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters and a member of the advisory board of the Journal of Organic Chemistry.

Scientific Sketch

The research interests of Boger’s group include the total synthesis of biologically active natural products, the development of new synthetic methods, heterocyclic chemistry, bioorganic and medicinal chemistry, combinatorial chemistry, the study of DNA-agent interactions, and the chemistry of antitumor antibiotics. Boger places a special emphasis on investigations to define the structure-function relationships of natural or designed agents in an effort to understand the origin of their biological properties.

As new synthetic methodologies, the Boger group has developed acyl radical reactions, which are useful tools in natural product total synthesis. Selenyl ketones are used as precursors of acyl radicals. The radical, which is formed after reaction with the double/triple-bond, can be saturated with Bu3SnH (Fig. 1, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1990,112, 4003).

Figure 1. Cyclization of acyl radicals.

The enantiomer of roseophilin, an antitumor antibiotic, was synthesized in Boger’s group recently. It possesses a topologically unique pentacyclic skeleton, and its complex structure is a challenge for an organic chemist. The key steps are a heterocyclic azadiene Diels-Alder reaction, a ring-closing metathesis, and a stereoselective acyl radical cyclization. (Fig. 2, J. Am. Chem. Soc.2001,123, 8515).

Figure 2. Total synthesis of ent-(–)-roseophilin.

Another important research topic is the biology and chemistry of CC-1065 and the duocar-mycins and their derivatives. These natural products bind in the minor groove of the double helix and alkylate DNA bases irreversibly according to the mechanism displayed in Fig. 3.

Figure 3. Mechanism for the alkylation of DNA bases by duocarmycin SA.

Cannole Shells

Starting materials (makes 25):

450 mL unsifted, regular all-purpose flour

½ tsp salt

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tbsp firm butter, cut into small pieces

about 60 mL dry Sauterne 1 egg white, slightly beaten

shortening or salad oil for deep-frying

ricotta filling (see below)

powered sugar

chopped sweet chocolate

Ricotta filling:

1 kg (1 L) ricotta cheese

375 mL powdered sugar

4 tsp vanilla

60 mL sweet chocolate

Fluffy ricotta filling:

500 g (500 mL) ricotta cheese

200 g powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

30 mL sweet chocolate

250 mL heavy cream

Sift flour with salt and granulated sugar. Make a well in the center; in it, place the egg and butter. Stir with a fork, working from the center out, to moisten the flour mixture. Add the wine, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough begins to cling together. Use your hands to form the dough into a ball. Cover it and let it stand for 15 minutes.

Roll dough out on a floured board about 2 mm thick, cut into three 1.3-cm circles. With a rolling pin, roll the circle into ovals. Wrap them around hollow metal cannoli forms and seal the edge with egg white. Turn out the ends of the dough and flare them slightly. Fry two or three at a time in deep hot fat (180 °C) for about 1 minute or until lightly golden. Remove them with tongs to a paper towel to drain; let them cool about 5 seconds, then slip them out of the cannoli form, holding the shell carefully. Cool the shells completely before filling them with a pastry tube. Sift powdered sugar over shell; garnish at ends. Makes 25. Ricotta filling: Whirl 1 kg ricotta cheese in a blender, or press through wire strainer, until very smooth. Fold in 375 mL unsifted powdered sugar and 4 tsp vanilla. Mix in 60 mL sweet chocolate (optional). Chill several hours.

Fluffy ricotta filling: Prepare ½ recipe Ricotta Filling, then fold in 250 mL heavy cream that has been whipped until stiff.

«As a young group and as my career was beginning, we developed a tradition of preparing cannoli for dessert at group gatherings. This included an annual Thanksgiving Day gathering that continues to this day and a gathering to watch the Super Bowl game on Super Bowl Sunday. Group members would take their turn at rolling the dough, cutting the ovals, or deep-frying the shells. We came to learn that success in the lab did not always translate into thin, crispy cannoli shells, but the yield was always reproducible.»

Dale Boger

Carsten Bolm

was born on March 8, 1960 in Braunschweig, Germany. He studied chemistry at the Technical University Braunschweig and at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he performed research under the supervision of H. Hopf and H.-J. Reich, respectively. In 1984 he received a M. Sc. degree in Madison and obtained a diploma in Brunswick. He then moved to the University of Marburg to start his doctoral work under the guidance of M. T. Reetz. After a postdoctoral stay in 1987/8 with K. B. Sharpless at the M.I.T. in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he worked in Basel with B. Giese to obtain his habili-tation in 1993. In the same year, he was appointed Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Marburg. Since 1996 he has held a Chair of Organic Chemistry at the RWTH Aachen. Carsten Bolm was Visiting Professor in Madison, Florence, Paris, and Milan. Among several awards, he received the Heinz Maier Leibnitz Award (1991), the ADUC-Prize (1992), the Otto Klung Award (1996), and the Otto Bayer Award (1998). He is a member of the advisory boards of Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis, New Journal of Chemistry, Synthesis, and Synlett. Furthermore, he published the book Transition Metals for Organic Synthesis (Wiley-VCH, 1998) together with M. Beller.

Scientific Sketch

The major focus of Bolm’s research is on asymmetric metal catalysis, synthesis with organometallic reagents, and pseudopeptides. Asymmetric synthesis has successfully been used for the preparation of enantiopure pharmaceuticals or agrochemicals. Within this area, catalytic approaches are considered most favorable. Catalysts of such type usually consist of a metal center and a ligand bearing the stereo-chemical information (Fig. 1), which ensures that the bond-forming process proceeds in a stereoselective manner.

Figure 1. Bolm’s ferrocene (S,Rp)-1

In this context one of the mojor research targets of Professor Bolm is to find developligands and metal complexes with multiple steregenic elements for the catalytic enantioselective addition of zinc reagents to aldehydes and imine derivatives (Fig. 2, J. Org. Chem. 1998,63, 7860; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.2000,39, 3465). In particular, aryl transfer reactions have been studied that lead to synthetically important diaryl methanols (3) and diaryl methyl amines with excellent enantiomeric excesses (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.2001, 40, 1488; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.2002, 41, 3692).

Figure 2. Asymmetric phenyl transfer onto substituted benzaldehydes in the presence of catalytic amounts of Bolm’s ferrocene (S,Rp)-1.

Figure 3. Basic pseudotripeptide structure.

Another field of his work is focused on peptide mimetics. Due to their poor bioavailability and rapid enzymatic degradation, peptides have found only limited application as pharmaceu-ticals. Thus, Professor Bolm uses sulfoximines as chiral backbone-modifying elements to prepare new pseudopeptides with higher stability against enzymatic degradation. By this strategy, new enzyme inhibitors could result (Fig. 3; Chem. Eur.J.2001, 7, 1118; Org. Lett.2002, 4, 893).

Kaiserschmarren

From the King’s Hight in the Emperor’s City

Starting materials (serves 6):

Stewed fruits:

50 g raisins

10 mL (1 tbsp) rum

250 g sour cherries

170 g sugar

125 mL white wine

Dough

6 eggs

60 g sugar

pinch of salt

1 g lemon zest

12 mL (1 tbsp) double cream

65 g flour

butter

Soak raisins (50 g) overnight at room temperature in rum (10 mL) in a 50-mL screw cap vessel, which should occasionally be shaken. Next, fill sour cherries (250 g) into a 250-mL beaker and add sugar (60 g) and white wine (125 mL). Cover the reaction mixture and store cool overnight.

To synthesize the dough, whisk 6 eggs (weight class 2), sugar (60 g), fine lemon zest, and double cream (12 mL) with a dough mixer (KPG-mixer) at ca. 600 rpm in a 2-L porcelain bowl. Then add flour (65 g) and leave the dough to rise for 30 minutes. Heat butter (50 g) carefully in a frying pan and add some of the dough (CAUTION: squirting). Fry until golden underneath, then, using a fork, tear into small pieces (ca. 1 cm) and brown, turning frequently, and keep it warm in a muffle furnace.

Synthesis of stewed fruits: In a beaker, sugar is caramelized in molten butter (50 g). Using a Büchner funnel, filter off the sour cherries and raisins and then stir them into the caramel mixture. Quench the mixture with the filtrate (cherry juice/wine mixture). Pour the stewed fruits over the warm Kaiserschmarren, add some drops of orange liqueur, and dust the solid with icing sugar (3 g). Before serving, decorate with some lemon balm leafs.

Ronald Breslow

was born in Rahway, New Jersey, on March 14, 1931. His chemical career started with undergraduate and graduate training at Harvard University, where he also did his Ph.D. research with R. B. Woodward. He then spent a year in Cambridge, England, as a postdoctoral fellow with Lord A. R. Todd and came to Columbia University in 1956 as Instructor in Chemistry, where he now holds the chair of the Samuel Latham Mitchill Professor of Chemistry. He is also University Professor, one of 12 at Columbia, and member and honorary member of several learned societies, among those the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the New York Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), the Royal Society (UK), the World Innovation Foundation, and the Chemical Society of Japan. His research is published in more than 400 papers and was acknowledged with numerous scientific awards, among those the ACS Award in Pure Chemistry (1966), the Fresenius Award of Phi Lambda Upsilon (1966), the Remsen Prize (1977), the Roussel Prize in Steroids (1978), the ACS James Flack Norris Award in Physical Organic Chemistry (1980), the Arthur C. Cope Award (1987), the Kenner Award (1988), the Nichols Medal (1989), the National Academy of Sciences Award in Chemistry (1989), the Allan Day Award (1990), the Paracelsus Award and Medal of the Swiss Chemical Society (1990), and the U.S. National Medal of Science (1991). He was recently named one of the top 75 contributors to the chemical enterprise in the past 75 years by Chemical & Engineering News (1997) and won the Priestley Medal (1999). In 2000 he won the New York City Mayor’s Award in Science, and in 2002 he received the ACS Bader Award in Bioorganic or Bioinorganic Chemistry and the Esselen Award for Chemistry in the Public Interest. He served as president of the American Chemical Society (in 1996) and belongs to the editorial board of a number of scientific journals.

Scientific Sketch