Acc. Chem. Res. = Suddenly Cool Again

Accounts of Chemical Research - located at the "left of your ACS radio dial"- may be as unloved as the random college radio stations one finds there. Yet it somehow seems to be catching fire with the chemistry "It" crowd.

Seriously...it's on the left!

I'd heard plenty of knocks back in grad school: "Self-reviews." "Citation fluffing." But, know what? I can't help but want to read most of these recent papers.

Take the upcoming Special Issue organized by Paul Wender. Entitled "Synthesis, Design and Molecular Function," it offers plenty of pizzazz. There's...

• Tom Hudlicky, whose "...20 years of effort [in synthesizing morphinans]...may qualify as obssession." 
• Karl Gademann "...unlocking secrets enshrined in molecular structure" towards neuroengineering.
• Brian Stoltz wants to show you "effective and broadly general methods for the formation of quaternary stereocenters."
• Phil Baran wants students "...to face challenges from the 'real world' at an early stage of their career"
• Frank Glorius wishes chemists would realize "...the value of negative and qualitative data" in reaction screening
• Glenn Micalizio advances "...an area of chemical reactivity not represented in the few well-established [C-C bond-forming] strategies" namely, metallacycles.
• Sam Danishefsky and Chi-Huey Wong tackle cancer vaccines. Need I say more?
• And Vinca alkaloids stalwart Dale Boger dives into vinblastine analogues.

I'm sure more will find their way onto the ASAPs, but this is an illustrious way to start the next issue.
Bravo, editors!