Syntetik TOM

 One thing that helps me since MSc. studies is to plan my work ahead.  Part of my Fridays’ schedules is taken by weekly planning , when I forsee all the reactions, column separations, NMR measurements, meetings, literature reading sections etc. Weekly planning is usually quick.  Daily planning , on the other hand, is more specific and takes more time. Afternoon before, I calculate all the reagents’ ammounts needed, check my dry solvents and do a bit of mental exercise, when I imagine the procese of running the reaction in great detail. You know, once you put all in, reaction clock is ticking! I picture my reaction ahead of time in my mind. Many times, have I realized that procedure could be improved or found mistake in a protocol, I was “almost blindly” following. Picture your day in my mind so your work does not go wasted!  Here is a helpful material for synthetic chemists.

 Global COVID-19 pandemic turned our attention to scientific solutions. This saved milions of lives and will continue to save many. As the societies went into multiple lockdowns, economy got hurt. There is a saying "What does not kill you, will make you stronger". Well, it seems that EU countries more or less survived and their economies are to be built back again within next few years.  What can I do about it as a chemist? Work harder and smarter! Many had been taking "time-off" and misusing this time. As an organic chemist, I spent 2.5 months of spring 2020 lockdown doing extensive literature search for my project. I was reviewing plethora of synthetic papers. On top of that, I participated in biotechnology learning platform Lifbee academy in  order to learn new skills. Honestly, I worked harder than before. Sure, I missed lab bench, performing manual synthesis ... nevertheless ... those days were not wasted, but invested in, as I see it. Prior to pandemic, we had...

V tejto koronovej dobe často počujeme o tom, ako slovenské zdravotníctvo a školstvo nieje stavané na pandemické situácie. Súhlasím s tým a dodávam, že ani žiadny systém vo svete nie je na niečo podobné stavaný.  Korona 2020 Trápi ma však, s čím všetkým dokážeme obviniť premiéra Matoviča a vládnu koalíciu. Zameriam sa na jednu vec, a to vzdelávanie súčasnej a budúcej generácie, lebo to si želám pozitívne ovplyvniť.  Z osobnej skúsenosti viem, že výuka na školách nie je tip-top . Viete, chýba mi väčšia zanietenosť zo strany študentov aj učiteľov. Otvorené diskusie bez strachu pýtať sa ( áno, aj hlúpe otázky ) , otázky na neľahké témy, odvaha vyučujúcich ísť vlastnou cestou výuky – ak je správna at ď. A klasika : n eustále sa niekto sťažuje. Za známky, za zbytočnosť toho predmetu, tej látky, učiva či spôsobu predania informácií.  A do toho korona 2020. Práve vďaka zanietených jedincom, ktorí v marci podali po...

Covid jar 2020 Aj vy ste si povšimli, že včera bolo piatok 13-teho? Nie som poverčivý … ALE … piatok, 13. Marec 2020 pre mňa znamenal stopku v lab práci a home office na naseldujúcich pár týždňov. Vo štvrtok 12.11 podvečer dokončujem týždennú pracovnú prezentáciu, nakoniec pridávam dátum 13.11 enter… uff a tiež mi d ôjde, že zajtra je piatok. Vravím si, nasadená reakcia cez noc je pohoda, nerefluxujem to, pod argónom to je, všetky kyvety so vzácnymi štofmi sú v chladničke a zajtra urobím 2-3 mini chromatografie, group meeting (GM) o 13tej a víkend je tu. Piatok je tu Ale ale ... už iba ten nápis v novinách ma zneistil „Schulsperren in ganz Österreich “ ... „Stehen wir vor zweiten Lockdown?“. No, hádam nie, vravím si. Tak to rozbehnem v robote hneď z rána, nech mi ten piatok rýchlo prejde. Mojou piatočnou špecialitkou je že, v d ô sledku celotýždňovej únavy, vždy rozbijem nejaké to sklo (ak mi nevypadne nejak á mini skúmavka, tak aspoň ka...

While supervising my Bc. student, I challenged him to take pictures while doing lab work. I personally do it while it catched the most interesting moments in the life of chemist that also appeal to wide audience. It just happened, that Paul was performing a reaction in pyridine, that was later on quenched with triethylamine. We both witnessed few color changes, while doing the workup.\ Challenge accepted – bubble gum created 😀 So we took some pictures, chose one that I called a „pinky beauty“, posted them on my instagram account . The following morning (I am an early bird, you know, so 05:05 AM), I found out, that IKAworld reposted our picture with a description „Bubble gum (🍬)“. What a surprise, I have to say! After couple days, the number of likes landed at 404 .  I was very pleased, that IKA shared our content to much wider science audience and Paul was also surprised that his picture made it all the way to IKA’s content. Sy...

Since the beginning of July 2020, as we gotten back to full-speed mode in the lab, I have been supervising 2 Bc. students. My perspective on why this work is challenging, but also rewarding. Learning the basics There are typically lab assignments each lab member is given. Cleaning chores, solvents preparations on weekly basis, massive Christmas clean-up just to name a few. Part of PhD. Studies is to supervise a Bc. or MSc. Student over few weeks, teach him/her the basics of working in the lab including correct techniques used in my case in the field of organic chemistry. Weighting the compounds, looking for the safety and correct use of the chemical, planning and setting up the reaction, running TLC plates in right eluent systems, quenching the reaction, water-orgo extractions, column purifications. Surely, these things could be learnt on his/her own, but it cannot compare with having a more experienced chemist on your side, guiding you through these first days in the...

We are slowly returning to our „new normal“ at BOKU, Vienna. Generally, we work in 2 shifts trying to avoid as much of a contact as possible. We wear face-nose mask protection at all times in addition to regular pre-COVID times. One of the new stress factors is to finish all that you plan within 6 hours of your shift. Briefly, I would like to share a story that happened this week. Personally, I will remember this for a while. Shift is yours - use it your very best Within this time span of 6 hours , I planned to perform a more-or-less quick triflation reaction, that would be followed by azidation reaction taking place overnight to satisfy the requirement of an extended reaction time. At the beginning of my shift I felt like I am going to make this without any problems and so it went like as well. I got the spot of my formed triflate, let it evaporate, HV-line for an hour to get nice yellowish crusty solid material in a quantitative yield. As I calculated the excessive amount of s...