Siegfried Blechert &
Stephen Connon talk with ScienceWatch.com and
answer a few questions about this month's Emerging Research
Front Paper in the field of Chemistry.
Article: Recent developments in olefin
cross-metathesis
Authors: Connon,
SJ;Blechert, S
Journal: ANGEW CHEM INT ED, 42 (17): 1900-1923 2003
Addresses: Tech Univ Berlin, Inst Chem, Str 17 Juni 135,
D-10623 Berlin, Germany.
Tech Univ Berlin, Inst Chem, D-10623 Berlin, Germany.
Why do you think your paper is highly
cited?
Coauthor
Stephen J. Connon
Our article reviewed cross-metathesis methodologies at a time when their
significant potential was beginning to be recognized. We tried to put
together the most comprehensive review possible at the time.
Does it describe a new discovery, methodology, or
synthesis of knowledge?
It describes ingenious developments in both methodology and catalyst design
by many scientists around the world in the area of cross-metathesis.
Would you summarize the significance of your paper in
layman's terms?
Our paper brought together the leading developments in the field of olefin
cross-metathesis up to 2002 in a single article. While experts in the area
would have been aware of these advances already, it was our hope that the
article could bring the potential of this powerful reaction which allows
the coupling of two (usually) readily prepared alkene fragments under mild
conditions to the attention of the wider synthetic research community.
Prof. Dr. Siegfried Blechert
Technische Universität Berlin
Institut für Chemie
Berlin, Germany
Stephen J. Connon, B.Sc., Ph.D.
Lecturer in Organic Chemistry
Department of Chemistry
Trinity College Dublin
Dublin, Ireland