Shaking up gold and palladium

Mechanochemical method makes noble metal compounds without solvents or harsh reagents. Read more in Chemical & Engineering News, the magazine of the American Chemical Society.

Memorial Tribute – Allan S. Hay (1929–2017)

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our friend and colleague Allan S. Hay, who passed away peacefully on August 14, 2017. Prof. Hay had an international reputation as one of the most creative and productive polymer synthesis chemists of all time.  He made landmark discoveries in reactions leading to polymers/plastics that have had enormous impact on commercial products for the last 50 years. 

Siba Moussa receives the Micro-Nanosystems Design Award

We’re pleased to let you know that McGill student Siba Moussa (supervisor Janine Mauzeroll, Dept. of Chemistry), has received the Micro-Nanosystems Design Award for her technology, “A Micro-liter Temperature-Controlled Flow Cell for Small Scale Studies of CYP 3A4 Enzyme Behavior.” 

Dr. Mona Nemer, McGill Chemistry Alumni, named Canada’s Chief Scientist

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has selected McGill Alumni, Dr. Mona Nemer (PhD 1982 in Organic Chemistry under the supervisor of Prof. Kelvin K. Ogilvie) to be the country's top scientist. Read more

Photo: Adam Scotti

Laura Pavelka awarded the 2017 McGill Principal’s Prize for Excellence in Teaching

The Principal’s Prize for Excellence in Teaching was established in 2000 to recognize excellence in teaching and its importance to the academic experience of students at McGill University. Traditionally awarded at Fall Convocation, awardees are named at the ranks of Faculty Lecturer, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Full Professor. Laura is the 2017 recipient at the rank of Faculty Lecturer.

Grad student Xi-Jie Dai and Postdoc Associate Haining Wang receive the provincial excellent student researcher award

Dr. Xi-Jie Dai and Dr. Haining Wang share the prestigious Étudiants-chercheurs étoiles award (September, 2017) from the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies (FRQNT). This award recognizes the exceptional research contributions of university students (master's, doctorate), postdoctoral fellows and members of professional orders who are enrolled in advanced research training programs in any of the areas covered by the three Fonds de recherche du Québec.

Using nanomaterials to illuminate new pathways for old chemistry

Researchers at McGill University have discovered a new way to use nanomaterials of a particular size and shape to perform old chemistry in a new fashion. Their finding, published in ACS Catalysis, highlights the use of cubic silver nanoparticles to harvest light for the activation of hydrogen in their hydrogenation reactions.

McGill University introduces new Bio-Physical Sciences undergraduate curriculum

Bio-Physical Science seeks to understand the functioning of living systems from the level of individual molecules up to ecosystems by applying tools and theories drawn from physical sciences. The departments of Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Mathematics, Physiology, and Computer Science have brought together a set of undergraduate programs encompassing the many aspects of this expanding, interdisciplinary field.

Congratulations to our Graduate Student Awardees for 2016-2017!

We are very proud to announce the names of a the 2017 Graduate student awards! The award ceremony took place on a patio of the department on a sunny June 27 2017. On the photo, see from left to right: Rob Harkness, Yasser Gidi, Mihai Burai Patrascu, Igor Huskic, Collin Sonnichsen, Richard Lincoln, Leonora Abdullahu, Dustin Duncan, Zheng Huang, Sebastian Skanvik. The full list of awards is below:

RESEARCH AWARD

Congratulations to J.P. Lumb on his tenure and appointment as associate professor

Prof. J.P. Lumb received his tenure and is promoted to the rank of associate professor. Congratulations!

Bio-Inspired Coupling of Phenols and Amines

1,2-Oxy-aminoarenes are omnipresent in biologically active molecules and advanced materials, but current syntheses are often atom and step inefficient, and can require highly optimized and expensive catalysts. Recent work, conducted by graduate student Kenn Esguerra and postdoc Wenbo Xu in the Lumb Group, has made important strides towards improving the efficiency of 1,2-oxy-amioarene synthesis by interfacing two unrelated, but complementary, biosynthetic processes.

The Li group uses alkyl carbanions to make greener nucleophilic additions

Xijie Dai, Haining Wang and C.J. Li have recently demonstrated that carbonyl derivatives could be used in a similar fashion to Grignard reagents using a smart Umpolung strategy and thus replaced organometallic-based reagents for nucleophilic carbonyl addition reactions for alcohol synthesis.

The second issue of the student-led McGill Green Chemistry Journal is out!

For the second year in a row, students from the Green Chemistry course (CHEM 462) are releasing their journal issue, published online as The McGill Green Chemistry Journal. This volume gathers the reviews written by students who took the course.

Dima Perepichka becomes Sir William C. Macdonald Chair in Chemistry

The Sir William C. Macdonald Chair in Chemistry was established in 1901 and is one of the oldest Named Chairs at the University.

Dima has a significant international reputation that was recently validated in the Full Professor promotion process, and are one of the world’s most creative “designers” and makers of novel materials.

Graduate student makes a video for the 2017 NSERC Science, Action! competition

Graduate student Bryan Lee from Dr. Ariya  group has submitted a video for the 2017 NSERC Science, Action! competition. His video is titled “Mercury on the Move”, which briefly speaks on the impact of mercury pollution in the environment to the public. His video is live on YouTube now, which can be found here.