The Smythe reagent is an approximately 1.6 M suspension of LiOH in hexane, and is ubiquitous in synthetic chemistry laboratories worldwide. While commercially available, it is more frequently prepared from n-butyllithium, usually by accident. We describe a range of applications for this reagent, such as the O-lithiation of carboxylic acids, hydrolysis of ethyl esters and chlorophosphines, racemisation of alpha-stereocenters and poly-Claisen condensations.

The detection of phosphine (PH3) in the clouds of Venus kindled interest in the possibility of life in the planet’s atmosphere. With data acquired during the Aphrodite Probe’s pass through the upper Venusian atmosphere, we report the detection of triphenylphosphine oxide in the clouds of our closest planetary neighbour. This data implies the possibility of synthetic chemists on the planet Venus.

A song about PhD supervisors, to the tune of “Hey There Delilah” by The Plain White T’s.

Some troubling results from the analysis lab.

A guide to pairing the right alcohol to your grant application.

Eveyone who has spent more than a year in the field of organic chemistry has heard the refrain: methyl ethyl butyl futile. This joke underligns the point of diminishing returns which is reached when making analogues of the same molecule. Because of this joke, the versatile chemistry of the futyl group has been overshadowed. This review highlights some examples in the history and applications of the futyl group.

We have tested a range of recreational drugs as organocatalysts in the Fukovski Combobulation. Most of the tested drugs are detrimental to the reaction, but cocaine shows promise as a catalyst, with the appropriate dosage. The mechanistic roles of these molecules are probed with chemical frenetic measurements and Density Dysfunctional Theory (DDT).

An examination of the conformers of oldmacdenynenynol.

One can’t judge a book by its cover, but one can judge a reaction by its colour.

One can’t judge a book by its cover, but one can judge a reaction by its colour.