In a recently published organic chemistry laboratory text, a series of experiments are described in which students are able to relate the structure of a compound to its reactivity (7). The experiments are 1. Determining the pTfa's of substituted benzoic acids. 2. Preparing the benzoic acid methyl esters, 3. Measuring the rates of base hydrolysis of the methyl esters.

Summavy It has been shown that Rhodophiala bifida converts O-methyl-(2R) -[2-,H1, l'-14C]norbelladine (1) into both haemanthamine (2) and montanine (4) with the loss of the pro-R hydrogen of C-2 in (1).

How to build a light stage; diagrams are included.

A new procedure for the oxidation of sulfides to sulfones utilizing heterogeneous ruthenium reagent has been developed. A small amount of ruthenium trichloride (RuCl 3) supported on alumina and excess sodium metaperiodate (NaIO 4) was used to produce the ruthenium oxidizing catalyst in the reaction mixture. Sodium metaperiodate oxidized the pre-catalyst RuCl 3 to RuO 4 and also maintained a constant supply of RuO 4 by oxidizing lower valent ruthenium ions during the course of the reaction. An environmentally friendly solvent mixture of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and water was employed. A wide variety of aromatic sulfides were oxidized to sulfones in good to excellent yields by utilizing this procedure.

Static headspace analysis of accelerants from suspected arsons is accomplished by placing an arson sample in a sealed container with a carbon strip suspended above the sample. The sample is heated, cooled to room temperature, and then the organic components are extracted from the carbon strip with carbon disulfide followed by gas chromatography analysis. A locally available carbon filter has successfully been substituted for the Albrayco carbon strip commonly used in arson analysis. This substitution has resulted in a cost reduction from $1.50 to 1.5¢ per sample.