Introduction - 5th Flash Conference

5th FLASH CONFERENCE OF ERA-CHEMISTRY

Big Task of Water - Building and Destroying Molecules in Water
18 – 22 October 2009, Abtei Frauenwörth/Chiemsee, Germany
 
Organisers:
Prof. Werner Kunz, Regensburg, Germany
Prof. Thomas Zemb, Marcoule, France
 
 
Water is a special solvent: omnipresent on this planet, it features no less than 28 physico-chemical anomalies, a larger number of which life depends upon. The use of water as a solvent to synthesise new chemicals is a most sustainable choice, never really impossible, but complicated by the special solution properties of water and their dependence on ternary components and outer conditions. Self-organisation and development to structural complexity, including many biological features as protein folding, are essentially driven by order terms in the water structure, which are otherwise hardly found in any ordinary solvent. On the other hand, spurious amounts of sometimes even unexpected molecules likely dissolve in water, and it is an art to detect and destroy them to secure for instance save nutrition.
This flash conference deals with novel approaches to extend the views on chemistry in water. It is not about classical solution routes, but tends to bring together experts on the physicochemistry of water and self organisation with chemists working on modern synthetic routes in water, such as novel hydrothermal processes, microwave reactions, or employing the reactivity of confined water/artificial enzymes. As a result, it is strived for a joint modern view on the possibilities which water chemistry can provide for the society, say as clean water, as a sustainable replacement for organic solvents, and novel processes only enabled by water.
 
The conference will cover the following topics:
 
What is so special in water? The present state of art
Self-organisation in water – chemical aspects
The role of water for material design, biomaterials etc.
Replacing organic solvents by water – a major step towards green chemistry
Controlling chemical reactions in water and confined water
Purification of water
Novel hydrothermal processes
New aspects of industrial water-based processe  

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