Sep 012011
 
Structure of the Month - September 2011

Presented by:  Andrew B. Cairns & Dr. Amber L. Thompson
Research Leader:  Dr. Andrew L. Goodwin
Published:  Journal of the American Chemical Society (cover article)

Negative Linear Compressibility (NLC) is where a material unusually expands in one direction under increasing pressure.  Potassium manganese dicyanoargentate exhibits the largest NLC over an extended range of any known … Read the rest

Aug 312011
 
Chemical Crystallography: Reflections and Predictions

Chemical Crystallography: Reflections and Predictions
A symposium to mark the retirement of David J. Watkin
Friday 9th September 2011

[Update: Thanks to all the speakers and everyone who attended this event in honour of DJW.]

Programme

10.00   Refreshments in the Lecture Theatre Foyer, Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory

10.50   Dr. Richard Cooper (University of Oxford, UK)
Welcome Read the rest

Aug 312011
 
XXII International Congress and General Assembly of the International Union of Crystallography

The triennial Congress of the International Union of Crystallography was held in Madrid, Spain at the end of August 2011. Chem. Cryst. was well represented with several talks and posters including:

Richard I. Cooper
Optimising X-ray Experiment Strategy on-the-fly based on Feedback from Automated Structure Solution (Presentation)

Amber L. Thompson
Battle of the Titans:  Atlas Read the rest

Jun 032011
 
Diamond Light Source Annual Review

The 2011 Diamond Annual Review, which highlights some of the world-class research recently undertaken at Diamond Light Source is now available from their website.  The report includes a contribution from Prof. Paul Beer covering some of the fascinating interlocked structures determined from data collected using the Small Molecule Beamline, I19, as part of the … Read the rest

Jun 012011
 
Structure of the Month - June 2011

Presented by:  Matthew J. Langton, Jonathan D. Matichak & Dr. Amber L. Thompson
Research Leader:  Prof. Harry L. Anderson
Published:  Chemical Science (cover article)

Fully π-conjugated porphyrin oligomers exhibit remarkable properties such as ultrafast energy migration, strong two-photon absorption and wire-like charge transport. The possibility to encapsulate them by rotaxane formation may provide valuable control … Read the rest

May 012011
 
Structure of the Month - May 2011

Presented by:  Matthew Tatton & Paul Winship
Research Leader:  Prof. Timothy J. Donohoe
Published:  Angewandte Chemie International Edition

This is the final isolated intermediate in the synthesis of Neodysiherbaine A;  crystals were very small, so data were collected on I19 at Diamond.  The natural product is an excitatory amino acid isolated from the Dysidea herbacea … Read the rest

Apr 112011
 

The BCA Spring Meeting was held at the University of Keele in Staffordshire.  Contributions from Chem. Cryst. included:

Richard I. Cooper, Amber L. Thompson & David J. Watkin
Standard Uncertainties and Experimental Design (Poster)

Amber L. Thompson & David J. Watkin
Unpublishable” Data:  Does My R-factor Look Big in This? (Poster)

David Watkin
What’s Read the rest

Apr 052011
 
John Fell Fund Application Successful

The results have just been announced for the latest round of applications to the John Fell Oxford University Research Fund.  Our proposal for funding for a temperature controlled Peltier stage microscope with polarizing filters for the study of solid-state phase transitions in crystalline materials was successful.  Polarized light allows the ready detection of discontinuous changes … Read the rest

Mar 302011
 
An Engagement with X-rays

Not content with showing off the eye-catching brilliance of her new diamond engagement ring, final year Inorganic Chemistry student Rowena Scott wanted to reveal the beautiful symmetry of its atomic structure. She recorded an X-ray diffraction pattern from the diamond using one of the Chemistry Department’s new state of the art, SuperNova dual source X‑ray … Read the rest

Feb 012011
 
Structure of the Month - February 2011

Presented by:  Dr. Andrew D. Schwarz & Liban M. A. Saleh
Research Leader:  Prof. Philip Mountford & Prof. Simon Aldridge
Published:  Journal of the American Chemical Society

Transition-metal boryl compounds (L)M(BX2)x, containing 2‑center, 2‑electron σ‑bonds have been a topic of outstanding interest due to pivotal roles … Read the rest