Have you ever wondered why chocolate goes white with age?
Find out at a public lecture on Thursday 24 February during which Professor Chick Wilson from the Department of Chemistry will talk about molecules, and how they don’t always behave properly.
Chemists usually know what molecule they plan to make before they create it. However, nature has a habit of biting back and sometimes the molecules that are created go wrong.
Professor Wilson said: “Something as simple as the order in which atoms join to a carbon in a molecule can change it. When this affects the handed-ness of the molecules – yes, molecules can be left or right-handed – this is called ‘enantiomerism’.
“Sometimes the resulting molecules are still right but the way they stick together is wrong. This phenomenon is known as ‘polymorphism’.”
When molecules behave badly, like those described by Professor Wilson, the effects can be dramatic.
The thalidomide tragedy or the 1960s, and more recently the loss of over $250m by a major US pharmaceutical firm are both the result of molecules gluing together in the wrong way.
Professor Wilson and his research group are currently involved in a range of projects and several UK-wide networks looking at how and why molecules ‘misbehave’, and what we can do about it.
Professor Wilson adds: “We hope to explain the phenomenon of ‘polymorphism’ and ways we might try to learn to control it, whether that is to make new sweets taste good, to create new paints with just the right colour, or to develop new drugs that are more effective.
“We will also be exploring the mystery of the disappearing polymorphs – all will be explained during the talk!”
The event is part of the Millennium lecture series and will take place on the University campus at Claverton Down in building 3 West-North, room 2.1 at 4:15pm on Thursday 24 February 2011.