Tim Smith
@chemsmith.bsky.social
Chemist, dad, husband, slow endurance athlete. Currently make/purify stable isotope compounds at MilliporeSigma. I like being with my wife and daughter, working out, traveling, hiking, broadway shows, rock n roll, tolerant joyful smart people.
Is IR spectroscopy dead? Is anyone routinely using it? Can it be used to indicate purity? I figure I’m just clueless here - my company goes with other methods (e.g., NMR, HPLC-GC, KF, MP/BP, titration, ion chromatography) to access structure/purity. #chemsky #chemchat
Max Jr also wants to know.
Max Jr also wants to know.
November 14, 2025 at 4:44 PM
ORRRC (Ohio) Veterans 10 Miler. Finished it 2 min slower than my half marathon PR. 🤨 🧑🏻🦯
November 8, 2025 at 6:47 PM
ORRRC (Ohio) Veterans 10 Miler. Finished it 2 min slower than my half marathon PR. 🤨 🧑🏻🦯
It’s that time of year.
November 6, 2025 at 12:49 AM
It’s that time of year.
Anyone here with practical knowledge about making phenylalanine from phenylpyruvate using phenylalanine dehydrogenase (or similar)? #chemsky 🧪
November 5, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Anyone here with practical knowledge about making phenylalanine from phenylpyruvate using phenylalanine dehydrogenase (or similar)? #chemsky 🧪
Is anyone here good at separating amino acids from one another (on gram scale). E.g., using resins? For example separating methionine from isoleucine. I’m a bit new at it. #chemsky 🧪
October 30, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Is anyone here good at separating amino acids from one another (on gram scale). E.g., using resins? For example separating methionine from isoleucine. I’m a bit new at it. #chemsky 🧪
Benzyl chloroformate is not trivial to come by. Been waiting on an order from Acros. Does anyone know 1. where to get it from fairly quickly and/or 2. alternatives to benzyl chloroformate for making Cbz-protected amines. (Yes it needs to be Cbz protected.) #chemsky 🧪
October 1, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Benzyl chloroformate is not trivial to come by. Been waiting on an order from Acros. Does anyone know 1. where to get it from fairly quickly and/or 2. alternatives to benzyl chloroformate for making Cbz-protected amines. (Yes it needs to be Cbz protected.) #chemsky 🧪
Always feels pretentious to mention books I’ve read, and I’m not really a voracious reader. But, this book is super interesting, full of history I never knew, and funny as hell.
September 30, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Always feels pretentious to mention books I’ve read, and I’m not really a voracious reader. But, this book is super interesting, full of history I never knew, and funny as hell.
Has anyone had issues/troubles getting Glutamine synthetase to "work well?" I keep getting low conversions and can't seem to resolve this. Pretty frustrated/embarrassed.
Alternatively, if you know a NON-enzymatic way to do this, I'd be very interested! I feel like it should be doable. #chemsky 🧪
Alternatively, if you know a NON-enzymatic way to do this, I'd be very interested! I feel like it should be doable. #chemsky 🧪
July 26, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Has anyone had issues/troubles getting Glutamine synthetase to "work well?" I keep getting low conversions and can't seem to resolve this. Pretty frustrated/embarrassed.
Alternatively, if you know a NON-enzymatic way to do this, I'd be very interested! I feel like it should be doable. #chemsky 🧪
Alternatively, if you know a NON-enzymatic way to do this, I'd be very interested! I feel like it should be doable. #chemsky 🧪
Why do I always want to capitalize the name of chemicals? E.g., “Do we have any L-Serine around here?” Am I the only one who has to fight this tendency? From where did I get it? Max Jr. also wants to know. 🧪 #chemsky
June 27, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Why do I always want to capitalize the name of chemicals? E.g., “Do we have any L-Serine around here?” Am I the only one who has to fight this tendency? From where did I get it? Max Jr. also wants to know. 🧪 #chemsky
Queen City (Cincinnati) Triathlon. Well, it should’ve been a triathlon. The swim was canceled so it became a duathlon. (River too high/fast/dirty due to too much rain. )
June 22, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Queen City (Cincinnati) Triathlon. Well, it should’ve been a triathlon. The swim was canceled so it became a duathlon. (River too high/fast/dirty due to too much rain. )
No kings. Fund science. 🧪
June 14, 2025 at 6:55 PM
No kings. Fund science. 🧪
Does anyone know of a presentation/place/anything for a synthetic chemist to learn the PRACTICAL aspects of using ENZYMES in synthesis? It’s not my strength. 🧪 #chemsky
These cicadas want to know too.
These cicadas want to know too.
June 10, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Does anyone know of a presentation/place/anything for a synthetic chemist to learn the PRACTICAL aspects of using ENZYMES in synthesis? It’s not my strength. 🧪 #chemsky
These cicadas want to know too.
These cicadas want to know too.
Has anyone used Chelex 100 (or similar) to *remove* Cu+2 (or similar) from an amino acid (or similar) mixture? And would be able to suggest a good procedure/publication? (Pic for no reason) #chemsky 🧪
May 28, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Has anyone used Chelex 100 (or similar) to *remove* Cu+2 (or similar) from an amino acid (or similar) mixture? And would be able to suggest a good procedure/publication? (Pic for no reason) #chemsky 🧪
Kiss the Goat 10K. Hazard KY.
May 27, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Kiss the Goat 10K. Hazard KY.
Spotted in the morning.
May 24, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Spotted in the morning.
Made friends on the trail yesterday.
May 18, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Made friends on the trail yesterday.
I swear if I hear one more “Better Help” online therapy advertisement I’m going to have a mental breakdown.
Max Jr agrees.
Max Jr agrees.
May 6, 2025 at 6:14 PM
I swear if I hear one more “Better Help” online therapy advertisement I’m going to have a mental breakdown.
Max Jr agrees.
Max Jr agrees.
In episode 76 of Topics in Endurance Sports podcast I talk about a couple of short races I did...a year ago! The Madison Athletic Boosters Spring 5K, and the Lincoln Memorial Garden Trail Race 8K.
April 28, 2025 at 11:07 PM
In episode 76 of Topics in Endurance Sports podcast I talk about a couple of short races I did...a year ago! The Madison Athletic Boosters Spring 5K, and the Lincoln Memorial Garden Trail Race 8K.
Anyone have thoughts on recrystallizing WITH or WITHOUT stirring? E.g., when you might prefer one case over the other? Or maybe you never stir? Or rules of thumb? Or how to decide? I find it can make a difference but it's feeling a bit random. #chemsky 🧪
April 27, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Anyone have thoughts on recrystallizing WITH or WITHOUT stirring? E.g., when you might prefer one case over the other? Or maybe you never stir? Or rules of thumb? Or how to decide? I find it can make a difference but it's feeling a bit random. #chemsky 🧪