|
A number of academics
are involved in X-ray crystallography at the University of
KwaZulu-Natal (formerly the University of Natal). The first inorganic
chemist to run a diffractometer and various crystallographic
experiments at UNP was Professor John S. Field.
Professor Field in fact obtained his PhD under George Sheldrick (the
developer of the SHELX suite of programs for solving and refining
crystal structures) at the University of Cambridge and is widely
regarded as the well-schooled crystallographer in the group. Prof.
Field currently teaches a 16-credit module on X-ray crystallography
and space group symmetry to the Chemistry Honours (4th
year) students.
Since 1998,
Prof. Orde Munro has largely run the
X-ray crystallography laboratory at the University. Like Prof. Field,
Prof. Munro is an inorganic chemist by training. However, an 18 month
post-doctoral training stint in Prof. W. Robert Scheidt's lab at the
University of Notre Dame (USA) in 1996/7 gave him the relevant
practical experience in the science of X-ray crystallography.
In 2003,
Dr. Melanie Rademeyer joined the School
Chemistry at Howard College (Durban). She moved to Pietermaritzburg in
2005 and ran most of the samples for our Durban colleagues as well
as her own with her crystal engineering students in
Pietermaritzburg. Melanie left is in January 2008 to take up a post
at the University of Pretoria due to her husband relocating from
Cato Ridge to Witbank.
In 2008, we
welcomed Dr. Kirsty Stewart as the
School's new X-ray crystallography officer and lecturer. Her post is
both technical and academic and she will provide an X-ray
service as well as lectures in X-ray crystallography to users in the
School.
Today, X-ray
crystallography is an indispensable technique for the complete and
unambiguous structural characterization of the compounds (both organic
and inorganic) that form the backbone of our research efforts in the
School of Chemistry. However, we also collect large, highly redundant
data sets for charge density studies on interesting compounds when the
crystal samples are of the highest standard - so there is more than
just routine work being done in the Lab.
|
|
Historical.
There have been two key technicians who were involved in the
maintenance, operation, and repair of the diffractometers over the
years. Martin Watson (now retired) was
involved in setting up and calibrating the Bruker LT3 low temperature
attachment on the CAD4. James Ryan was
involved in the running of the X-ray lab from a technical side for 2
years after Martin's retirement. James's expertise as a tool and dye
maker was invaluable in the design and building of components in our
laboratory. (The lure of a better salary in industry, however, meant
that James left the School in 2003.)
Current.
Today, we are fortunate to again have excellent help in the form of
two instrument technicians: Les Mayne and
Craig Grimmer. Les runs the GC-MS system
and together with some help from Craig (our NMR guru) takes care of
our diffractometer maintenance, particularly the cryogenic and cooling
systems. Les has a background in mechanical instrument manufacture and
repair, so he is the ideal man for our X-ray lab.
Moreover, together
with gurus like Allan Cullis and
Guy Dewar of the Electronics Center, we
have managed to keep the electronic gremlins that plague the CAD4
pretty much at bay in recent years. |
|
|
|
Students who are
trained in various aspects of X-ray diffraction at UKZN are listed
below. Past students are listed as well.
Matthew Akerman
Current
MSc (submitted, February 2008)
DNA-intercalating anticancer drugs.
Bradley Waldron
Current
MSc – year 2
Crystal engineering: novel Pt(II) terpyridines with solvatochromic
properties and novel gas/solvent sensing applications.
Rosanne Salmond
Current
PhD – year 1
MSc, 2008
DNA-intercalating anticancer drugs.
Santham Govender
Current
PhD – year 2
MSc, 2007
DNA-intercalating anticancer drugs.
Dr. Sandra D.
Joubert (nee
Strydom)
Currently employed by SASOL Technology, Sasolburg
PhD, 2007
Novel catalysts for the living polymerization of key industrial
monomers (epoxides and lactones).
Dr. L. Peter Ledwaba
Currently employed by SASOL Technology, Sasolburg
PhD, 2006
Crystal engineering: novel luminescent complexes of Pt(II).
Dr. Nicole
Pearson
Currently employed by Lake Chemicals (ChemServe, Durban).
PhD, 2005
Sub-nanoscale magnetic spin state switches: iron(III) and Co(III)
porphyrins.
Greville L. Camp
Currently employed by LignoTech (Durban).
MSc, 2003
P-donor ligand complexes of metalloporphyrins.
|
|
