From: Maneesh Yadav (yadavm$##$scripps.edu)
Date: Fri Sep 16 2005 - 13:23:31 EDT
Why not try for the top 10% Ken? Every grad school I know has a wide spectrum of people in the classes.
The truth of the matter is that there are smart people *everywhere*, try not to pay too much attention to various rankings etc. If you pump out a few good papers under a responsibly minded advisor, you'll always be able to find a place to work somewhere, especially if you do synthesis. Don't fall into the trap of over-valuing other students or PIs whom you may think are smarter than you in some intangible way.
If you really enjoy synthesis etc. and have some experience in undergrad, I would suggest you find a PI/lab where there will be expertise such that you can continue gaining experience in synthesis, and learn something new too. Collaborating and working on biolgical problems can be a lot of fun. Or maybe there is a chemoinforatics group out there who is looking for someone to do synthesis and you could have the oppurtunity to pick up an interesting perspective.
Grad school is a special experience, anyone who has been through it will tell you that it can be an immensly enlightening and sometimes very draining (for a lot of different reasons). Put out tonnes of applications, see what you get back, go see the schools, meet the people/PIs and go with your best bet, that's about all anyone ever does in life.
There is a good story which I've heard and you may want to take about half seriously (from http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2005/5/12/33210/5714):
Once upon a time, a rabbit was hopping through the forest, lost in thought. He was so preoccupied that he didn't notice the fox creeping up behind him...
"GOTCHA!" Shouted the fox as he pounced, pinning the rabbit to the ground. Immediately, the rabbit pleaded for his life "You can't kill me, I'm in graduate school, and I'm about to defend!"
The fox replied, "You're in graduate school? Bullshit. What's your thesis?"
"The superiorty of rabbits over foxes and wolves."
"WHAT? I'm about to eat you, and you're begging for your life. How do you figure rabbits are superior to foxes?"
"Come on down to my hole, I'll show you my data"
"This I gotta see," replied the fox, and down they went into the rabbit hole. Shortly thereafter, the rabbit emerged. The fox did not.
The next day, the rabbit was once again lost in thought, hopping through the woods. He didn't notice the wolf until it was almost oo late...
"GOTCHA!" Shouted the wolf as he pounced, pinning the rabbit to the ground. Again, the rabbit pleaded for his life "You can't kill me, I'm in graduate school, and I'm about to defend!"
The wolf replied, "You're in graduate school? A rabbit? No way. What's your thesis?"
"The superiorty of rabbits over foxes and wolves."
"WHAT? Ive got you cold, you're about to be my lunch, and you say you are superior to me?"
"Come on down to my burrow, I'll show you my data. It's rock-solid."
"This I gotta see," replied the wolf, and down they went into the rabbit hole.
Shortly thereafter, the rabbit emerged, alone.
We descend into the rabbit's lair....In one corner sits a pile of fox bones, picked clean. In the other sits a pile of wolf bones, gnawed through.
Between them sits a lion.
The moral of the story is: It doesn't matter what your project is. It doesn't matter what your data is. It doesn't matter what your department is, it doesn't matter what your thesis is.
All that matters is who your advisor is. Pick carefully.
-----Original Message-----
From: everybody-bounces$##$orglist.net on behalf of everybody-request$##$orglist.net
Sent: Fri 9/16/2005 9:04 AM
To: everybody$##$orglist.net
Subject: Everybody Digest, Vol 12, Issue 11
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Today's Topics:
1. Suggestions for grad schools? (Ken Knott)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 13:59:48 -0400
From: "Ken Knott" <esprcorn$##$hotmail.com>
Subject: ORGLIST: Suggestions for grad schools?
To: everybody$##$orglist.net
Message-ID: <BAY102-F11140A02424ADCAF082E04CB9E0$##$phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
Can anyone offer some suggestions for organic chemistry grad school progams
in the eastern side of the US? I'm probobly looking for something in the
top 25% but I have no illusions as to being able to get into the top 10% or
anything...
I'm mainly interested in synthesis. Perhaps natural products, process
chemistry, etc....
Thanks,
Ken
>From: everybody-request$##$orglist.net
>Reply-To: everybody$##$orglist.net
>To: everybody$##$orglist.net
>Subject: Everybody Digest, Vol 12, Issue 10
>Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 12:02:47 -0400 (EDT)
>
>Send Everybody mailing list submissions to
> everybody$##$orglist.net
>
>To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
> http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/everybody
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>When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
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>
>
>Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: hydrogenation (Gang Chen)
> 2. RE: Formic Acid water removal - DANGER (Richard Prankerd)
> 3. Re: Formic Acid water removal - DANGER (Moens, Luc)
> 4. 1,3-Difluorobenzene (Nalini Patel)
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Message: 1
>Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2005 12:11:24 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Gang Chen <oz-wizz$##$yahoo.com>
>Subject: Re: ORGLIST: hydrogenation
>To: everybody$##$orglist.net
>Message-ID: <20050914191124.53875.qmail$##$web30409.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
>Can you hydrogenate in acetic acid instead?
>
>GC.
>
>--- Andrew <westernave1970$##$yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > I'm attempting a hydrogenation of an Z-protected
> > amine with palladion on carbon under hydrogen. The
> > Z-groups is coming off fine, however, if the
> > reaction is performed in methanol, I'm getting the
> > NMe product, similarly if in ethanol, I'm getting
> > the NEt product. How do I stop this?
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------
> > Yahoo! for Good
> > Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina
> > relief effort. >
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>------------------------------
>
>Message: 2
>Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 07:57:09 +1000
>From: Richard Prankerd <Richard.Prankerd$##$vcp.monash.edu.au>
>Subject: RE: ORGLIST: Formic Acid water removal - DANGER
>To: srinivas reddy <gounisrinivas$##$yahoo.com>, Chhaganbhai Madhubhai
> <cmb_92002$##$yahoo.co.in>, everybody$##$orglist.net
>Message-ID:
> <89907EA1DCFB7548A431C13A270F9DD5C12485$##$prk-exch-01.vcp.local>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
>All:
>
>In using the information in the website below, note two things:
>
>1. The danger of mixing anhydrous formic acid with concentrated
>sulphuric acid, as this will form carbon monoxide - I used this reaction
>when CO was needed for other reactions;
>
>2. The mechanism described on the website is in error by claiming that
>the formation of carbon monoxide from formic acid and sulphuric acid is
>an oxidation reaction - IT IS NOT. Simple examination of the reaction
>stoichiometry shows that this is a dehydration reaction.
>
>Therefore, attempts to remove water from formic acid/water mixtures must
>be performed cautiously in a well ventilated space to reduce the risk of
>carbon monoxide formation. Always perform on a small scale first.
>
>Richard
>
>Richard J. Prankerd, PhD
>Senior Lecturer
>Victorian College of Pharmacy, Monash University
>381 Royal Pde., Parkville VIC 3052
>
>Phone: INT+613-9903-9003
>Phax: INT+613-9903-9583
>
>Drugs need to be designed with delivery components in mind - Takeru
>Higuchi
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: everybody-bounces$##$orglist.net
> > [mailto:everybody-bounces$##$orglist.net] On Behalf Of srinivas reddy
> > Sent: Wednesday, 14 September 2005 8:54 PM
> > To: Chhaganbhai Madhubhai; everybody$##$orglist.net
> > Subject: Re: ORGLIST: Formic Acid water removal
> >
> >
> >
> > hi,
> >
> > here is some useful information:
> >
> > http://designer-drugs.com/pte/12.162.180.114/dcd/chemistry/for
> > mic.acid.html
> >
> > hope this would help. good luck
> >
> > regards
> >
> > Srinivas
> >
> >
> >
> > --- Chhaganbhai Madhubhai <cmb_92002$##$yahoo.co.in>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Dear friends,
> > >
> > > I have recovered Formic Acid of 60 % and 40 % water
> > > . Now i want to make concentration upto 85 % how to
> > > remove water from this mixture ? I have tried with
> > > long column distillation but failed in that. so plz
> > > if any one who had good idea to remove this water by
> > > absorption of any salt or any inorganic chemicals
> > > tell me plz.
> > > I have 30 Killoleter formic Acid if I go for sale I
> > > am loosing lot of money.
> > > plz help in this my problem.
> > >
> > > Thanks to all in advance.
> > >
> > > cmb_92002$##$yahoo.co.in
> > > Genius Organic Products
> > >
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 3
>Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2005 17:18:10 -0600
>From: "Moens, Luc" <luc_moens$##$nrel.gov>
>Subject: Re: ORGLIST: Formic Acid water removal - DANGER
>To: Richard Prankerd <Richard.Prankerd$##$vcp.monash.edu.au>, srinivas
> reddy <gounisrinivas$##$yahoo.com>, Chhaganbhai Madhubhai
> <cmb_92002$##$yahoo.co.in>, <everybody$##$orglist.net>
>Message-ID: <BF4E0BD2.F64%luc_moens$##$nrel.gov>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
>Dear colleagues,
>
>If I may add to the messages below, the hazards of pressure build-up in
>formic acid containers has been known to cause spontaneous explosions. I
>would be very hesitant to store large quantities of concentrated formic
>acid
>without some special pressure releasing caps. While sulfuric acid
>certainly
>sets off this CO generation in a rapid manner, it looks like slow T-induced
>decomposition also occurs upon storage. It's the more insidious hazard
>that
>was once described in a short safety alert in C&E News magazine several
>years ago.
>
>If you do a google search, you'll find all kinds of information that
>testifies to this hazard.
>
>Luc
>
>
>On 9/14/05 3:57 PM, "Richard Prankerd" <Richard.Prankerd$##$vcp.monash.edu.au>
>wrote:
>
> > All:
> >
> > In using the information in the website below, note two things:
> >
> > 1. The danger of mixing anhydrous formic acid with concentrated
> > sulphuric acid, as this will form carbon monoxide - I used this reaction
> > when CO was needed for other reactions;
> >
> > 2. The mechanism described on the website is in error by claiming that
> > the formation of carbon monoxide from formic acid and sulphuric acid is
> > an oxidation reaction - IT IS NOT. Simple examination of the reaction
> > stoichiometry shows that this is a dehydration reaction.
> >
> > Therefore, attempts to remove water from formic acid/water mixtures must
> > be performed cautiously in a well ventilated space to reduce the risk of
> > carbon monoxide formation. Always perform on a small scale first.
> >
> > Richard
> >
> > Richard J. Prankerd, PhD
> > Senior Lecturer
> > Victorian College of Pharmacy, Monash University
> > 381 Royal Pde., Parkville VIC 3052
> >
> > Phone: INT+613-9903-9003
> > Phax: INT+613-9903-9583
> >
> > Drugs need to be designed with delivery components in mind - Takeru
> > Higuchi
> >
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: everybody-bounces$##$orglist.net
> >> [mailto:everybody-bounces$##$orglist.net] On Behalf Of srinivas reddy
> >> Sent: Wednesday, 14 September 2005 8:54 PM
> >> To: Chhaganbhai Madhubhai; everybody$##$orglist.net
> >> Subject: Re: ORGLIST: Formic Acid water removal
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> hi,
> >>
> >> here is some useful information:
> >>
> >> http://designer-drugs.com/pte/12.162.180.114/dcd/chemistry/for
> >> mic.acid.html
> >>
> >> hope this would help. good luck
> >>
> >> regards
> >>
> >> Srinivas
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --- Chhaganbhai Madhubhai <cmb_92002$##$yahoo.co.in>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Dear friends,
> >>>
> >>> I have recovered Formic Acid of 60 % and 40 % water
> >>> . Now i want to make concentration upto 85 % how to
> >>> remove water from this mixture ? I have tried with
> >>> long column distillation but failed in that. so plz
> >>> if any one who had good idea to remove this water by
> >>> absorption of any salt or any inorganic chemicals
> >>> tell me plz.
> >>> I have 30 Killoleter formic Acid if I go for sale I
> >>> am loosing lot of money.
> >>> plz help in this my problem.
> >>>
> >>> Thanks to all in advance.
> >>>
> >>> cmb_92002$##$yahoo.co.in
> >>> Genius Organic Products
> >>>
> > _______________________________________________
> > ORGLIST - Organic Chemistry Mailing List
> > Website / Archive / FAQ: http://www.orglist.net
> > To post a message (TO EVERYBODY) send to everybody$##$orglist.net
> > To unsubscribe, send to everybody-request$##$orglist.net the message:
>unsubscribe
> > your_orglist_password your_address
> > List coordinator: Joao Aires de Sousa (coordinator$##$orglist.net)
>
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 4
>Date: 15 Sep 2005 04:18:30 -0000
>From: "Nalini Patel" <nalini.patel$##$rediffmail.com>
>Subject: ORGLIST: 1,3-Difluorobenzene
>To: everybody$##$orglist.net
>Message-ID: <20050915041830.12035.qmail$##$webmail47.rediffmail.com>
>
>Hello to all friends !
>
>I'm trying to develope 1,3-Difluorobenzene from two possible paths.
>
>a) from m-Phenylenediamine & b) from 1,3-Dichlorobenzene.
>
>
>But I have not any synthesis references for this. Can someone pls help me
>suggesting synthesis procedures for these ?
>
>Awaiting your comments !
>
>
>
>Thanks,
>NALINI
>
>
>------------------------------
>
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