Week #1? Yes, that’s right. Last week’s contest brought in only three entries and the results were so intriguing (see below) that I thought it would be fun to extend the contest two more weeks. So I will collect entries this coming week and name a new winner, and then I will repeat the entire process the following week. So you have three chances to win in all.
The rules for entering the contest this week are identical to those from last week. Any 3-5 people in the class may combine on an entry and turn it in to me by lab lecture next Th (Sept 18). Just draw an isomer of C7 H10 O3 on a piece of paper, add your names, and you’re in! There are two constraints: winners from this week should not re-enter (give others a chance!) and I won’t accept multiple entries from the same person.
OK. So what did this week’s entries look like and who won?
The three entries I received are shown below:
Fluffy, Stephen and Kelsey put together the winning entry which has
been mentioned in exactly one research paper: “Synthesis of unsaturated
hydroxy acids by the cobalt carbonyl and phase transfer catalyzed
carbonylation of vinyl epoxides.” Howard Alper and Serge Calet, Tetrahedron Letters (1988), 29(15), 1763-6. This journal is in the Reed library so feel free to look this article up.
The
losing entries have not been mentioned in any research papers. Ever.
But this is not surprising, really. A large fraction of the 1,741 C7
H10 O3 entries in Chemical Abstracts have never been prepared or
studied. There is an incredible amount of organic chemistry yet to be
learned.
Three hints for the next round. Steer clear of 5-membered rings containing two double bonds. Steer clear of C(OH)2 or C(OH)3 groups. And steer clear of rings containing triple bonds. Good luck!
is there a prize?
Of course! Modest, but meaningful.