Our manuscript describing a new 2nd-year laboratory experiment using #biocatalysis in organic chemistry is now available on ChemRxiv! Here's a little thread about the experiment, and how we developed it from work in my research lab. #ChemSky 🧵 /1

Biocatalysis is a growing part of organic chemistry, and I introduced it to my second-semester organic class several years ago. We teach the aldol reaction, we teach about enamines, we teach catalysis. Students who understand the aldol can understand an aldolase. (Those who don't… don't.) /2

Yoda: Learning You Are - Star Wars

Alt: Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back with a caption "Learning you are".

static.klipy.com

Father’s Day shrimp roll with a springg salad. #ChemistsWhoCook

There are 2 types of mini golf families. Those who go one at a time and each player finishes the hole and those who play it like regular golf with away rules… only 1 is correct. #ChemistsWhoMiniGolf

It’s a great day to be Canadian 🇨🇦 They win their first ever World Cup match 🔥

The social-isolation socials that @drlcsquare.bsky.social and I ran for almost 2 years is one of the best things I've ever done (IMHO); and that all stemmed from #chemtwitter and the wider community on Twitter. That feeling of community has sadly not been replicated on #ChemSky.

Happy birthday to Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes, who turns 25 today #Habs Montreal Gazette photo by John Mahoney

Malfunctioning valve, that's a bad day

Juraj Slafkovsky on the Habs in the playoffs (from his latest NHL blog): “The whole city is alive with hockey...When I close my eyes, I imagine the Montreal Canadiens and I winning the Stanley Cup. I dream about it every day.”

My latest for @opinion.bloomberg.com on the rapidly escalating Ebola outbreak--and why the US's decimation of USAID, cuts at CDC and exit from the WHO could make an already-tough situation worse (gift link):

Containing Ebola Is Hard. The US Made It Worse

A rapidly unfolding Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a reminder of the value of maintaining robust global disease surveillance and response systems — and the dire consequences of we...

bloomberg.com

If I won the lottery I wouldn’t tell any one but you might notice I’ve bought enough molymods to build molecules like this.

Bethany Halford@bethanyhalford.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Biocatalysts can build big molecules. A team at Merck & Co. developed a suite of enzymes that stitch together their oral PCSK9 inhibitor enlicitide. My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic... #chemsky

THE HABS BEAT THE BUFFALO SABRES IN GAME 2

a group of men are standing in a room talking to each other and a sign that says lets goooo .

ALT: a group of men are standing in a room talking to each other and a sign that says lets goooo .

media.tenor.com

In @science.org for chemsky this week, we've got a blockbuster result from the Merck process team engineering enzymes to make the extraordinarily complicated macrocyclic peptide enlicitide. Follows in the footsteps of sitagliptin and islatravir. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Biocatalytic cascades enable manufacture of the macrocyclic peptide enlicitide

Historically, many compelling therapeutic targets have been accessible only by injectable biologic drugs. Macrocyclic peptides, such as the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor enli...

science.org

Rule of cool

Biocatalysts can build big molecules. A team at Merck & Co. developed a suite of enzymes that stitch together their oral PCSK9 inhibitor enlicitide. My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic... #chemsky

Honestly look at this molecule—it’s ridiculous

Bethany Halford@bethanyhalford.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Biocatalysts can build big molecules. A team at Merck & Co. developed a suite of enzymes that stitch together their oral PCSK9 inhibitor enlicitide. My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic... #chemsky

A milestone day for our team with the publication of our work on biocatalytic cascades for macrocyclic peptide manufacturing. This establishes a new beachhead in the synthesis of this important new modality for the industry! #MerckChemistry

Go time! #GoHabsGo

Just fantastic news for th approval of this fixed dose combination with two compounds very close to my heart! Congrats to all who contributed to this important milestone for patients. #MerckChemistry www.merck.com/news/fda-app...

Pressure is a privilege. It means you have the opportunity to achieve something great. - Carey Price #QuoteOfTheDay

mft metric f**k tons. A very important unit I use a lot.

#nfl #NFL #nflmemes #Chargers #Broncos #Chiefs #Raiders #moon

If you like harnessing carbenes from di-chlorides, you’ll LOVE skeletal editing with tri-chlorides! Congrats to Bethany, Hojin, Victoria, and our collaborators from Chicago (Ethan & Mark Levin) and California (Anna, Zhang & Dave Olson)! Open access: authors.elsevier.com/a/1mqdE8jWHE...

In @science.org for chemsky this week, @shenvi.bsky.social group report that lutidinium and manganese are the Goldilocks reagents to help nickel and cobalt cross-couple two different olefins www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Cross- and branched-selective hydroalkenylation by metal hydride selection

Controlled placement of branch points along carbon chains is a core capability in the synthesis of materials, agrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals. Metal hydride hydrogen atom transfer (MHAT) to alkenes...

science.org

Exceptionally proud of my friend @tehshik.bsky.social on winning the ACS David Evans Award If you’re at #ACSSpring2026 stop by for this symposium - it’s jam packed with tons of great chemistry #ChemSky

#GoHabsGo #2

Go Habs Go!

Safety/Toxicity alert! In this synthesis cyanide is formed and the procedure uses acidic workup. Hydrogen cyanide will be formed! There is no warning. @springernature.com link.springer.com/article/10.1... #ChemSky @drlcsquare.bsky.social @bagphos.bsky.social

General synthesis of 2,1-benzisoxazoles (anthranils) from nitroarenes and benzylic C–H acids in aprotic media promoted by combination of strong bases and silylating agents - Molecular Diversity

Carbanions of phenylacetonitriles, benzyl sulfones, and dialkyl benzylphosphonates add nitroarenes at the ortho-position to the nitro group to form $$\sigma ^\mathrm{H}$$ σ H -adducts that, upon treat...

link.springer.com