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NON-METALLICS

HUGHES RESEARCH <&Q^£%'$

AND DEVELOPMENT ** *

LABORATORIES HAVE SEVERAL

OPENINGS FOR CHEMICAL

AND OTHEJR ENGINEERS IN

DEVELOPMENT LEADING TO

PRODUCTION OF NEW

APPLICATIONS FOR

NON-METALLIC MATERIALS

E N G I N E E R S A M D P H Y S I C I S T S Hughes Laboratories are engaged in a highly advanced research, development and production program involving wide use of non-metallic materials in missile and radar components. The need is for men with experience in these materials to investigate the electrical, physical, and heat-resistant properties of plastics and other non-metallics.

E N G I N E E R S O R A P P L I E D R H Y S I C I S T S

These men are required to plan, coordinate, and conduct special laboratory and field test programs on missile components. Experience is required in materials development, laboratory instrumentation, and design of test fixtures.

R E S E A R C H C H E M I S T

The Plastics Department has need for an individual with a Ph.D. Degree, or equivalent experience in organic or physical chemistry, to investigate the basic properties of plastics. Work involves research into the properties of flow, mechanisms of cure, vapor transmission, and electrical and physical characteristics of plastics.

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LETTERS

HUGHES RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

LABORATORIES

Cut ver City, Los Angeles County,California

Chemical Abstracts Is α SERVICE DEAR SIR:

Surely every chemist in the country must agree with E. J. Crane's editorial in C&EN for June 27. I have changed the position of empriasis in the title and it's still true, No chemist can deny it, whether or not he is a sub­scriber to CA or whether he is even an ACS member or not. Every chemist here is benefiting or has benefited from this SERVICE. Regrettably it is a fact that the majority of us are getting a "free ride,"

This is not good for CA but I think it really is worse, in ^ e larger view, for the "free rider"! As for those chemists who are not even ACS members noth­ing can be done except to try to find them and show them where their duty does, and inclinatioii should, lie. I have not found this difficult, but it does take time and one man can do only so much; hence, membership committees.

As for those who are ACS members I think it is time for u s to pay our way. Years ago, a t a Council meeting, it seems to me I was alone in opposing a reduction in the cost of membership. At all times, since t h e Society began, we members have received a lot more than we have paid for. The addition of, say, $2.50 to the price of each an­nual renewal of meinbership would still leave its cost small compared with its benefits. But if the whole of that $2.50 were turned over to the funds for the abstracting service, the nearly-free riders, (members, but not CA sub­scribers) would be helping to solve the problem confronting us.

This would dispose of the anomaly of a chemist-member receiving CA for his personal use, at merely the cost of paper, presswork, and delivery! And it might obviate the necessity for boost­ing further the cost to laboratories. This cost cannot be raised much higher without encountering the effects of the law of diminishing returns.

So let's all pay ouu: way and pull our weight in the boat and otherwise mix our metaphors in a good cause. Hollywood, Calif. W. A. BUSH

D E A R SIR: The editorial about Chemical Ab­

stracts in the June 27 C&EN and the article by E . J. Crane have been read with much interest.

As an old-timer who has been a sub­scriber to, and a reader of CA since the beginning of Vol, I, I have positive ideas with respect t o it. I t is probably the most useful and most used of all forms of technical literature in research and teaching. It stands as the top

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VOLUME 33. NO. 33 · · AUGUST 15. i?ss 3 3 6 7

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KOPPERS DIVINYLBENZENE ... reactive vinyl monomer and chemical intermediate

• Di vinyl benzene (DVB) is a clear, mobile liquid. A highly reactive bi-functional monomer, it is of interest as a chemical intermediate and as a cross-linking agent for various polymers. DVB is useful for the production of copolymers such as synthetic ion-exchange resins, potting and laminating resins, modified drying oils and alkyd resins, and synthetic rubber.

Divinylbenzene is ava i lab le in t w o grades: DIVINYLBENZENE 50-60%—composed of the isomers of divinylbenzene and ethylvinylbenzene and some diethyl-benzene. Particularly useful for appli­cations which require a high propor­

tion of reactive components. DIVINYLBENZENE 20-25% —composed o f the isomers of divinylbenzene and ethylvinylbenzene together with some styrene monomer, diethyl benzenes, toluene, benzene, and ethyîbenzene. Especially useful in the production of Super Processing GR-S chemical rub­bers, styrenated drying oils, and other products in which limited amounts of non-polymerizable compounds are not objectionable.

Divinylbenzene is only one o f the many synthetic

chemicals produced by Koppers. Others indu*?*

kesorcinol, Styrene Monomer, Polystyrene, Phthafic

Anhydride, oncf Di-tert-butyl-para-cresol.

For further information on the properties, reactions, and applications of Divinylbenzene, write to:

KOPPERS COMPANY, I N C . Chemical Division, Dept.CEN-8155, Pittsburgh 19, Pennsylvania

3 3 6 8 C H E M I C A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G N E W S

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LETTERS-

standard of all abstract services and publications.

Research chemists believe that CA is a service, but it is more than that. It is a service necessary to research. It is an institution of higher learning and has a widespread influence upon education and industry in this country. As an institution of higher learning, we might well say that it should be en­dowed and the cost of the service not be borne wholly by those who use it. from the standpoint of economics, new rates are justified and perhaps the pub­lication should be required to at least break even.

However, like the alumni of univer­sities, it might be that corporations and older members should pay considerably more than cost so that the "under­graduates" can have its benefits vdthin their limited budgets. Ithaca, N. Y. WILLIAM C. GEER

Fumaric Acid Formula

DEAR SIR: In further reference to my letter on

the formula for fumaric acid published in C&EN Aug. 1 (page 3 1 4 7 ) , I should like to add that the biochemistry texts by Downes and by Gero show fumaric acid correctly as the trans isomer, and West and Todd fooled me by showing only the hydrogens in the trans posi­tion, as follows:

COOH I

HC

CH

I COOH As I now see it, Downes, Gero, and

West and Todd show fumaric acid with the correct trans structure, while all the other bochemistry textbooks I have listed show the structure for maleic acid and call it fumaric acid. I would consider this matter very picayunish were it not for facts that (a) fumaric acid is one of the most important com­pounds in biochemistry, and (b) in organic chemistry, maleic and fumaric acids are the classical examples of cis-trans isomers. Fort Collins, Colo. A. R. PATTON

• · · DEAR SIR:

The letter of A. R. Patton on the textbooks presenting the formula of maleic acid for that of fumaric re­called my mnemonic for the latter. The carboxyl groups are away "fum" each other. OMSGAPSAS" gives the first letter of oxalic, malonic, succinic, glu-taric, adipic, pimelic, suberic, azaleic, and sebacic acids. Pittsburgh, Pa. GERALD J. Cox