Does two bads equate to one good? Apparently it does. Mathematically, a negative number multiplied with another negative number becomes positive.. In chemistry, a poisonous pale, yellow-green gas Chlorine extensively used during the wars combined with metal that reacts spontaneously in air, Sodium, becomes what else, but Table Salt. And that is what we call Chemistry, mes lamies.
A week ago, chemists with fervid, lucid dreams of winning the chemistry's biggest lottery were having lottery fever. Betting their life's earnings to win the jackpot, many are called but only few will be chosen by the demigods in Sweden. This year the lucky ones were Messieurs Heck, Negishi and Suzuki. Congratulations sir! The world is a better place despite with despots, tyrants, heavy traffic and hot, humid weather...
Monsieur Heck discovered a beautiful law of nature. A glimpse of a mathematical expression by God himself. Uncovering a way of producing longer molecules. This paved the way for organic chemists to develop new compounds that improve public health. An example would be Skelan (Naproxen Sodium) used in pain relief, rheumatoid arthritis and acute gout. Naproxen is produced via the Heck reaction.
It made me think what would be my Heck Reaction. What could be my defining moment in life. Somehow, somewhere, it will just come. As I was preparing my speech to the Nobel Committee, I felt the urgent need to review my lessons for french class tomorrow. A la prochaine!
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