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January 2010

Asymmetric Reduction of Ketones and Aldehydes in Water

Professor Jianliang Xiao receiving the 2008 UK Prize for Process Chemistry Research

Jianliang Xiao, left, who with coworkers demonstrated that pgm-complex catalysed asymmetric reductions can be carried out in water

Palladium Hallmarking in the UK

The new palladium hallmark in the UK

Part of the new palladium hallmark which depicts the head of the Greek goddess Pallas Athena



"The Catalyst Technical Handbook"

Johnson Matthey has published an updated edition of "The Catalyst Technical Handbook". It contains data on heterogeneous and homogeneous pgm catalysts and their reactions, chiral catalysis and non-leachable polymer-linked catalysts. Also included is information on sponge metals and PRICAT support base metal catalysts. The handbook is available in electronic or print formats. For a free copy please contact Connie Schlegel.


Alfa Aesar 2008-2009 Catalog of Research Chemicals, Metals and Materials

Request your copy by completing the Request & View Literature form.

The catalog offers nearly 30,000 products available from stock. Over 3000 new products include novel fine organics, nanomaterials, fuel cell catalysts and components, pure metals, alloys, analytical standards and catalyst/ligand kits. There is a new 14-page introduction to the Precious Metal Compounds and Catalysts section, by catalyst expert Martyn Twigg. It briefly covers the history of precious metal catalysis, and there are sections on general catalytic requirements for selected applications.


PGM Catalyst Kits

Johnson Matthey produce three catalyst kits of research amounts of catalyst, aimed at small scale working in academia and industry. Joanne Frankham (U.K. and Europe) and Connie Schlegel (U.S.A. and Asia) will provide information.


Asymmetric Hydrogenation Ligand/Catalyst Kit

A 12-piece kit of 8 ligands (500 mg each) and 4 catalysts (100 mg each) to make catalysts.


Advanced Coupling Kit

A 9-piece kit (1000 mg each) for C-C coupling reactions, aminations, alpha ketone arylation, etc., using sterically hindered substrates, aryl chlorides and electron-rich substrates. A guide is included.


Heterogeneous Catalyst Screening Kit

Contains 40 samples.


Research Chemicals

Small to medium quantities of precious metal salts and solutions are available for early stage R&D from Alfa Aesar. Packs are sized from grams up to semi-bulk quantities.

Who We Are

David Jollie

David M. Jollie

David Jollie was born in Solihull, West Midlands. He is the Editor of Platinum Metals Review and the writer of Johnson Matthey's reports on the platinum group metals markets. He holds a B.A. in Chemistry from the University of Oxford and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Nottingham.

Sara Coles

Sara A. Coles

Sara Coles was born in Southport, North West England. She is the Assistant Editor on Platinum Metals Review. She holds an M.Chem.(Hons) in Chemistry with French Studies from the University of Lancaster.

Margery Ryan

Margery Ryan

Margery Ryan was born in Pretoria, South Africa. She is the Editorial Assistant on Platinum Metals Review. She holds a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cape Town and has previously worked in refining and mineral processing at Impala Platinum, South Africa. She joined Platinum Metals Review from Johnson Matthey Noble Metals, where she had been working as a Laboratory Technician since 2006.

Keith W. P. White

Keith W. P. White

Keith White was born in Bushey, Hertfordshire. He is the Senior Information Scientist on Platinum Metals Review. He holds a B.Sc.(Hons) and Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Polytechnic of North London. He was previously the Research & Development Manager at PMD (UK) Ltd, and before that a Senior Research Technologist with Cookson Group at the Cookson Technology Centre.