4 the state of science in south africa
C H E M I S T R Y
A National Centre for Nano-structured Ma- is also producing world-class research is
terials has been established at the CSIR; the that centred on the mechanism of malaria
focus is on materials with many of these pigment (haemozoin) formation and the
being inorganic in nature (see section 4.6). mechanism of action of quinoline and re-
A number of the current projects in one of lated antimalarial drugs. This information
the focus areas of the DST/NRF Centre of is being used to develop principles for the
Excellence in Strong Materials headed by design of new antimalarials. Other groups
Lesley Cornish at Wits, viz. that of carbon with programmes in inorganic biochem-
nanotubes and strong composites, are inor- istry include those currently investigating
ganic, and include investigations on the use benzimidazole derivatives as anti-microbial
of organometallic complexes for carbon na- and anti-tuberculosis agents, rhenium co-
notube synthesis, the functionalisation of ordination compounds with antitumour ac-
carbon nanotubes and fullerenes, and the tivity, and the detection of amyloid plaques
synthesis and characterisation of mesopo- in the brain for the diagnosis and treatment
rous silica materials. Significantly, the emer- of Alzheimer`s disease.
gence of the generic field of nanochemistry
has revitalised the study of main group ele- Organometallic chemistry still receives at-
ments, and South African inorganic chem- tention by groups at a number of univer-
ists are now involved in these areas. sities in the country, with the focus being
on homogeneous catalysis; the majority
The other area of inorganic chemistry that of these groups are associated with one of
has grown in stature and significance is that the DST/NRF centres of excellence viz. the
of bio-inorganic chemistry. A third DST/ Centre of Excellence in Catalysis (c*change)
NRF national research chair in inorganic headed by Michael Claeys at the University
chemistry, that of Helder Marques at Wits, of Cape Town (UCT). Extensive research has
is in bio-inorganic chemistry. The research been carried in the area of anionic Fischer-
interests of the group under his leadership type metal carbene complexes, particularly
focus on the inorganic chemistry of bio- in respect of the coinage metals. Other
logical systems, with particular emphasis significant programmes include those in-
on cobalt, iron and the lanthanides. Pro- volving the utilisation of Fischer-Tropsch
grammes which reflect the current inter- streams to produce value-added commod-
ests of the group include the exploration of ity chemicals, and the design of homoge-
the kinetic lability of Co(III) in vitamin B12 neous catalysts for the oligomerisation and
systems, the synthesis and molecular mod- polymerisation of alkenes. Significantly,
elling of metalloporphyrins, and the design increasing attention is being devoted to
of new lanthanide metal complexes with the development of organometallic com-
macrocyclic and acyclic chelating ligands pounds as, inter alia, anti-cancer and anti-
as suitable contrast agents in magnetic malarial agents.
resonance imaging (MRI) or as luminescent
devices in biomedical applications. Another The area of classical coordination chemistry
programme in bio-inorganic chemistry that is being pursued at a number of universities
110
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