[macman104]

Originally I was going to talk to someone about this over a pm, but *shrug*.

Here is my situation, I've been working with a professor for over a year now.  However, I've been working on the same project since last winter (minus the summer when I'm not at school.  So that's two semester's worth.)  It's an 11 step synthesis, and I'm on my 3rd pass through the reaction scheme.  Every time, I've had to go back for either mistakes or too little material for the next step (the farthest I've gotten is either the 7th or 8th step).  I can't help but feel a little frustrated as I run the same reaction for the 3rd or 4th time, and I can feel the same pressure from my professor to simply finish up the synthesis this time around (especially since this is a project funded by grants).

Is it possible just to not be cut out for lab work?  I love what I'm doing.  It interest me, yes, sometimes the hours bug me, but I still enjoy it.  However, I can't help but feel like sometimes I'm just failing miserably at this...

Advice would be much appreciated.

[agrobert]

We've all had times like these, especially in organic synthesis.  I've worked on the synthesis of a drug for four months only to have it be unstable in any aqueous environment.  Keep on going.  Unless you feel like there is another field you are more interested in.  If you are worried about your lab skill justs keep going.  Your prof knows you are working hard.

[Alpha-Omega]

I think you are being a little hard on yourself.  I hae a good friend who worked on an organometallic synthesis for a year and when all was said and done it failed and was never going to work...she sill got her M.S. and to this day has agood relationship with that professor...that is just how it works out sometimes....

Diversity is a good thing...takes the edge off sometimes...but I always think it is a good idea to finish what you start. That way the door is closed.

[Lithiated]

Hi, we all know this feeling, however, it looks like you're nearly there. obviously the
first 8 steps are now working well so upscale the first step so you wont run out
by the 8th step. Hopefully the remaining 3 steps will work and you'll have the final product,
Good luck,

Cheers,
Lithiated

[macman104]

Thanks for the reassurance.  I didn't really want the thread to be a "pity" thread, but I was definitely having doubts whether I was simply cut out for succeeding in lab work.  Appreciate the advice/wisdom.

[russellm72]

Hi,

Yeah I agree hang in there fella! I finally made a compound during my PhD that took me about three years! Some guys didn;t even get to make their target. Remember if your doing research then your work is important as long as you document it properly and put the hard graft in. Think of someone who may continue the project after you. You might of not made it past the posts but you put all the foundations in to make somebody else succeed. As I said document your work properly and make sure your thought processes are justified.

Chemistry can be a real downer but the opposite too. Many of us have experienced the feeling of getting something to work after loads of attempts and it really lifts you up.

If you have the time scale up as a previous caller mentioned. Get yourself a good batch of intermediate then you (or maybe someone else) can concentrate on the completion.

R.

[Shazza2008]

I also agree that you shouldn't give up practical Organic Chemistry. It took me about 6 years to become a confident practical Organic Chemist (and I'm still learning after 13 years!). Some syntheses are just plain difficult...unstable starting materials/ products, unwanted side reactions etc. If you are unsure whether a step will work, do a trial on a smaller scale first, rather than comitting all of your material. Don't forget to use the same reagents when doing your main reaction as you did in your trial. Be methodical and write up your trials as well as your main reaction, giving as much detail as you can. Try to have a positive approach to your work. Don't find yourself thinking "this is never going to work"! Also, a few important factors, try to purify your products as best you can...flash chromatography, crystallisations or HPLC. If you put rubbish into a reaction, you'll get even worse rubbish out. Also, dry starting materials properly if possible.

Hope this helps! Stay positive...practical Organic Chemistry is challenging, but rewarding.

Shaz

[Jd1828]

Im in the same situation.  about two years now on a 10 step synthesis.  I made it to step 9 only to find out that I made a mistake characterizing the product of step 8 and had to start over.  I think at this point Ive started over about 4 times because of running out of intermediates or because I had to changed the whole synthesis scheme. 

Im kind of at another dead end right now.  Spent the last few months trying to get that step 8 to work but I still cant get yields higher than 10%. 

[agrobert]

We've all been there one time or another.  It helps if you are doing exploratory research because new synthetic steps are rewarding both for you and the synthetic community.  When published research can't be duplicated with similar or better yields, now that is frustrating.