Sason Shaik is in the Institute of Chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and works on bonding, chemical catalysis, and structure and reactivity of metalloenzymes. Sason was originally interviewed on Reactions in May 2011; given his recent paper in Nature Chemistry titled “Oriented electric fields as future smart reagents in chemistry,” we thought we would check in and see what’s changed recently.

1. What has changed in your research since you last appeared on Reactions?

Firstly, our research on bonding has intensified since we predicted the quadruple bond in C₂. We are now working on other molecules with these bonding features. Our work on charge shift bonding published in Nature Chemistry¹, is branching too, because there might be the first experimental verification of this bonding type. This caused us to branch to metallomics, where this bond may be prevalent. Secondly, our enzyme work has been enriched and upgraded once we took molecular dynamics (MD) seriously. Now we are able to predict enantioselectivity and regioselectivity using MD and QM/MM calculations. And finally, our work on electric fields effects in reactivity has been boosted by the experimental support provided by the Spanish-Australian teams this year. So we are going very strong in a few fronts!

2. What do you think is the most important aspect of your recent Nature Chemistry paper?

I feel that this paper makes predictions and tries to teach the reader how to think about the effects of oriented electric fields on chemical reactivity, and how to design appropriate experiments. If this activity catches on, this will affect the science of chemistry in a serious manner.

3. Which is your favourite element — or if not an element, favourite molecule and why?

My favourite element is iron — it is so reactive in many interesting manners due to its many close lying spin-states. My favourite molecule is benzene. It’s so simple looking, and yet it has been serving as a springboard of many influential concepts in chemistry.

4. Imagine that your inbox is empty, there is nothing in need of writing, and there are no experiments that need attention: how would you spend this free time?

I would write poetry and maybe some history…

5. If you were given $1 million as you stepped out of your office to do with what you will, what would you use it for?

The first thing would be to take a trip around the world. Then back to paper writing.

6. Where would you most like to travel to, but have never been — and why?

Antarctica.

7. Which chemist do you look up to most, living or otherwise — and why?

My mentor Roald Hoffmann. I learned from Roald how to handle myself in science. I admire his grand knowledge and thoughtful wisdom.

[1] Nature Chem. 1, 443–449 (2009).

Bryden Le Bailly worked on iron catalysis and molecular communication devices before moving to London, where he was at Nature Nanotechnology. He is now an Associate Editor for Nature.

1. What made you want to be a chemist?

I think when I realised that not quite understanding what was going on is half the point! I was lucky enough to have some inspirational teachers along the way, through school and university, to nudge me in the right direction.

2. If you weren’t a chemist and could do any other job, what would it be — and why?

I’d love to make my own wine, hopefully an ambition I may still fulfill later in life. It seems like a great mix of chemistry and working with your hands — both things I used to enjoy about being in the lab. And of course lots of tasting.

3. What are you working on now, and where do you hope it will lead?

Well, as I’ve just started at Nature I’m looking forward to meeting a lot of people in the organic chemistry and chemical biology communities and seeing what they’re up to!

4. Which historical figure would you most like to have dinner with — and why?

After serious consideration and whittling down a shortlist, I would say Ernest Hemingway. You know you’re getting a great character, incredible stories and a solid drinker. It’s the perfect, heady combination.

5. When was the last time you did an experiment in the lab — and what was it?

My last experiment in the lab was using a photoacid to mediate a conformational relay. It ended up being photographed and was used to promote the work, thus fulfilling my lifetime ambition as a hand model.

6. If exiled on a desert island, what one book and one music album would you take with you?

Choosing one album is an almost impossible choice to make because I listen to a lot of music, but if I was stuck with The Lyre of Orpheus/Abattoir Blues by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds for the rest of my days I think I’d be okay with it. For a book I’d have to go with something from my favourite author, Haruki Murakami, probably The Wind Up Bird Chronicle. Murakami has such a unique and vivid writing style that so many of his novels would be an ideal companion to a desert island.

7. Which chemist would you like to see interviewed on Reactions — and why?

Daniele Leonori — I never got around to asking these questions while we were both at Manchester.

Andrei K. Yudin is in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Toronto and works on developing synthetic tools to study biological processes. Andrei was originally interviewed on Reactions in August 2011; given his recent paper in Nature Chemistry titled “Oxadiazole grafts in peptide macrocycles,” we thought we would check in and see what’s changed recently.

1. What has changed in your research since you last appeared on Reactions?

During my 2013 sabbatical, I got interested in protein crystal structure determination and the role of synthetic molecules in mediating this process. During that time, we initiated several projects that have led to the emergence of synthetic tools to develop molecular probes of protein function. This area of research is still in its infancy and we have yet to publish our results. But the tangible outcome has been profound: our interest in functional significance of molecules now influences the way we go about reaction design. I would not have predicted that structural biology could have a measurable bearing on how we attempt to innovate in chemical synthesis, but it sure does.

2. What do you think is the most important aspect of your recent Nature Chemistry paper?

This work has everything from an interesting mechanistic insight into how macrocycles are made to the ultimate application of our molecules. I think the capability to control the structure of macrocycles using oxadiazole grafts is something other labs will be able to use. I also hope that “the oxadiazole effect” will lead to the discovery of many other macrocyclic systems with controlled properties. As a result of our paper, Sigma-Aldrich is now in the process of manufacturing “Pinc”, the central reagent that enables our reaction to take place.

3. Which is your favourite element — or if not an element, favourite molecule and why?

Water is my favorite molecule and the reason is that it mediates interactions between small molecules and their protein targets. The ChemDraw-driven “language of chemical structures” is an unfortunate oversimplification. I wish we had an easy way to depict water surrounding chemical structures because it is water, in its bulk and structured states, which does the heavy lifting during biological interactions. Water networks shift, reorganize, and are even known to possess entropy/enthalpy compensatory mechanisms. These mechanisms influence the intended consequences of functional group placement when we, synthetic chemists, apply our “penetrating” insights and convince ourselves that we are engaged in molecular design.

4. Imagine that your inbox is empty, there is nothing in need of writing, and there are no experiments that need attention: how would you spend this free time?

I would play 18 holes at the Indian Wells Golf Club (Burlington, Ontario). I would do it two times in the same day – one from the white tees and one from the blue tees, although I am not sure there will be material change to my score.

5. If you were given $1 million as you stepped out of your office to do with what you will, what would you use it for?

I would start a company around our recent boron technology. This will allow us to make about 100 molecules and outsource phenotypic screening to a contract research organization. The strength of our yet-to-be-published chemistry is that the molecules are cell permeable. We can’t afford to run costly assays now, but with $1 million we will be in a good position to attract investors and do so on reasonable terms because the technology will be substantially de-risked by then.

6. Where would you most like to travel to, but have never been — and why?

I am interested in Labrador, a fascinating Canadian province I have never been to. It has breathtaking cliff views of the ocean and is known for its austere beauty. Unfortunately, this is not a place I could convince my wife to visit because there are no swimming opportunities, so I will have to wait for a conference to be held there.

7. Which chemist do you look up to most, living or otherwise — and why?

There are so many people I could name. Out of this list, I am drawn to those who did more with less. In this regard, I feel that Emil Fischer’s study of sugars is exemplary. Whenever I teach this topic, it sends chills down my spine. In his work, Fischer established the stereochemistry of sugars by studying epimerization between gluconic and mannonic acids. Doing this with the tools he had at his disposal was akin to a miracle.

Chenfeng Ke is in the Department of Chemistry at Dartmouth College and works on developing supramolecular 3D printing materials, porous organic materials and carbohydrate sensors.

1. What made you want to be a chemist?

I chose to be a chemistry major during my undergraduate studies and then followed the track. Nothing special, but my passion has always been learning new chemistry.

2. If you weren’t a chemist and could do any other job, what would it be — and why?

I want to be a chef if I can choose another job. I like watching cooking shows and I am a fan of Gordon Ramsey. I enjoy the moment that people like my food.

3. What are you working on now, and where do you hope it will lead?

I am working on developing supramolecular 3D printing materials. I hope to transfer the molecular functions that the supramolecular community has been investigating for decades to the macroscopic scale and make useful materials and devices. I hope to 3D print molecular machines and build a macroscopic machine in the future.

4. Which historical figure would you most like to have dinner with — and why?

Linus Pauling. He is my hero. He probably would suggest that I take 5 grams of Vitamin C every day!

5. When was the last time you did an experiment in the lab — and what was it?

I am still working in the lab. My last reaction was a one-pot Boc-deprotection¹ and imine condensation.

6. If exiled on a desert island, what one book and one music album would you take with you?

One book… could that be Wikipedia in print? I often find I waste too much time on Wiki.

I like a traditional Chinese instrument — GuZheng (Chinese zither)².  Any GuZheng album will work.

7. Which chemist would you like to see interviewed on Reactions — and why?

Jeremiah Gassensmith at UT Dallas. I want to see his crazy answers.

[1] Editor’s note: Boc = tert-Butyloxycarbonyl, a common protecting group in organic synthesis.
[2] Editor’s note: As someone who hadn’t really listened to it before reading this interview, I really recommend checking this instrument out! It’s very relaxing.