Practical crystal tips
Young Chemists' Panel meeting, Glasgow, 27 - 28 June
2007
 SCI’s Young
Chemists’
Panel has
organised its
first ‘Practical
crystallisation’
course, which
promises to
demystify the
‘black art’
through a
combination of
lectures, a
case study and
practical work.
Practical crystallisation: The black
art solved is the first course of its kind to be organised
by the SCI Young Chemists’ Panel and provides an opportunity
for recently graduated chemists and chemists
in industry to build their knowledge of basic crystallisation
theory and techniques.
The two-day course will take place on 27 and 28 June
2007 at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK, and will
be presented by Alistair Florence and Alan Kennedy,
both of the University of Strathclyde. It will consist of
a series of lectures and practical sessions covering the
techniques for crystal growth as well as describing
general solid state chemistry such as polymorphism
and salt formation.
The training will comprise three main lectures, a
case study and, importantly, a series of practical sessions
in laboratories where participants will be given the
opportunity to put into practice some of the techniques
to be described in the lectures. The practical sessions
will be carried out in groups under the guidance of
tutors and will provide participants with hands-on
experience of practical and analytical techniques associated
with crystallisation and solid-state chemistry.
These are considered a crucial, integral part of the
course and more than half the time available has been
allocated to them.
The topics to be covered in both lectures and practical
sessions will begin with the basics of crystal growth
and crystal growth techniques while looking specifically
at polymorph formation and sample purification
in the laboratory. Solvates, co-crystals and other types
of material characteristics will also be covered during
the first day.
The second day of the course will focus on some of
analytical aspects of measuring crystallisation and the
techniques employed as well as looking at salt selection
and controlling material properties in the solid state.
From a practical point of view, the analysis of salts
and other material characteristics will be covered,
including measuring dissolution rates and single crystal
x-rays. The course and impact of crystallisation and
solid state properties of materials will be concluded in
a case study looking at the commercial impact of polymorphism.
Detailed notes of every lecture and practical
session have been prepared alongside some additional
notes that will be provided to each participant on
the day.
As the course has a strong practical emphasis, focused
mainly on organic and inorganic small molecules,
it is aimed primarily at organic chemists working
currently in industry and recent chemistry graduates.
It is anticipated that participants will already possess
good synthetic chemistry skills in order for them to
make the most out of the practical element of the
course. In addition, the course may also be suited to
students currently undertaking laboratory work who
are looking to enhance their practical crystallisation
skills. By the end of the training, participants will
have a better understanding of the commercial impact
of crystallisation and solid-state properties of compounds
as well as basic and practical understanding
of crystallisation techniques that they can apply in
their current workplace.
For further information contact: Alison Evans,
T: + 44(0)20 7598 1566, F: +44 (0)20 7235 7743, E: alison.evans@soci.org
George Kirk, AstraZeneca
‘The course has a practical
aspect to it, focused mainly
on organic and inorganic
small molecules’
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