This Week in Chemistry

Wednesday 16th May 2012

RSC Seminar

Prof Russell Morris, University of St Andrews
RSC Applied Inorganic Chemistry Award Winner

It is quite a paradox that several gases that we normally think of as extremely toxic are in fact vital in mammalian biology (in the right amounts). Nitric oxide (NO) is the most well-known of these gases – the discovery of its activity in the cardiovascular system led to the Nobel Prize for Medicine and an explosion of research in NO biology and chemistry. Recent research has, however, shown that other ‘toxic’ gases also have tremendous potential for use in therapeutic applications. In all cases the toxicity of the gas places great constraints on how the gases can be delivered, especially if any therapies are to be applied outside the clinic. One method of developing suitable therapies is to devise methods by which the gases can be safely stored in porous solids that deliver the gas only when required and only in safe amounts. In this presentation I will explain how we are using both zeolites and metal organic frameworks as adsorbents and storage materials for several gases, including NO, and how we are characterising the materials to understand how the gases adsorb and are released. I will also present some of our applications data, including examples of experiments done on human subjects in a clinical setting, and also how careful control of the chemistry of the material, particularly metal organic frameworks, can lead to very interesting effects that may be utilised to have great control over how the gas interacts with the material, and how it can be utilised.

2.00 pm, Chemistry Department, Lecture Theatre 1

Level 4 Poster Session

The level 4 students will present the results of their research at a poster session, to be accompanied by wine and nibbles.

3.00 pm, Chemistry Department, C floor teaching laboratory