Two SU Students Present at International Conference

class=""MsoNormal"">SALISBURY, MD---Salisbury University senior chemistry major Michael T. Taylor of Eden, MD, recently placed first in the inorganic division at the Intercollegiate Student Chemists Convention (ISCC) at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. Taylor presented on "Attempted Synthesis of Tris(3-i-propylpyrazolyl)methanesulfonate ZnOH:  A monometallic Complex Suitable for the Catalytic Hydrolysis of Phosphotriesters".

class=""MsoNormal"">Sophomore chemistry major Finith Jernigan of Salisbury also presented his research results on "Synthesis of Cobalt Tris(pyrazolyl) Methane Sulfonate Based Transition Metal Catalysts" at the ISCC.

class=""MsoNormal"">Both are working with Dr. Elizabeth Papish of SU’s Chemistry Department as part of a research group designing catalysts to break down phosphotriester pesticides. The inspiration for the catalysts comes from nature, the group looks at the active site of enzymes that hydrolyze phosphotriesters, and with that structure in mind they design small molecules to act as enzyme mimics.

class=""MsoNormal"">Currently the group is involved in organic and inorganic synthesis of potential catalysts, but soon they will begin testing catalysts and studying how they work. This research is funded by the undergraduate research grants in SU’s Richard A. Henson School of Science and Tchnology and an American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund startup grant. For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu. "