Propylene (CAS.NO.115-07-1)(refined level) : 40.12 – 40.38 cents (usd)/pound

Ethylene (CAS.NO.74-85-1) : 31.255 – 31.495 cents (usd)/pound

It is reported that three Chinese factories making olefins from coal are slated to start up this year, part of a serious look that Beijing is taking at using its large coal reserves to reduce its heavy dependence on imported polyolefins. But before the government lifts some restrictions it imposed in May 2009 and allows more projects making polyethylene and polypropylene from coal, analysts say that government officials will want to see more details on the economic and environmental performance of the factories.

Mr Sun Weishan vice general secretary of the Beijing-based China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association Speaking at a recent industry conference in Beijing, several Chinese petrochemical industry officials urged the government to give coal-to-olefins work high priority, considering that the country imports about half of its PE and one-third of its PP. The three projects starting this year will provide a boost to China’s polyolefin supplies. The factories, in the coal belt of northern and western China, will have He said that capacity for 1.56 million tonnes of polyolefins, or about 6.9% of the country’s current PO capacity.

Scope
WCCAS-2010 is expected to greatly contribute to the promotion of new
concepts for the development of efficient methodologies for catalytic
asymmetric synthesis and its practical applications. The topics will
reflect this general theme, placing emphasis on aspects that are common to
all areas of catalytic asymmetric synthesis and the type of reaction
involved:

Track 1: Novel Technologies for Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis

Track 1-1: Rational Ligand Designs and Novel Catalyst Screening
Technologies
Track 1-2: Microwave/Ultrasonic/Photo Assisted Asymmetric Catalysis  Track
1-3: Practical Chiral Catalyst Immobilization
Track 1-4: Nanotechnologies in Asymmetric Catalysis
Track 1-5: Non Air Sensitive or On-water Catalysis and Solid Phase Catalysis

Track 2: Organometallic Chiral Catalysts in Asymmetric Transformations

Track 2-1: Catalytic Asymmetric Alkylation
Track 2-2: Catalytic Asymmetric Additions
Track 2-3: Catalytic Asymmetric Hydrogenation and Reductions
Track 2-4: Catalytic Asymmetric Oxygenation
Track 2-5: Catalytic Asymmetric Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation
Track 2-6: Catalytic Asymmetric Epoxidation
Track 2-7: Catalytic Asymmetric Aziridination, Cyclopropanation and
Diels-Alder Reaction
Track 2-8: Catalytic Asymmetric Carbonylation
Track 2-9: Catalytic Asymmetric Amination and Introduction of Other Hetero
Atoms
Track 2-10: Catalytic Asymmetric Polymerization Reactions

Track 3: Enantioselective/ Diastereoselective Organocatalysis

Track 3-1: Chiral Lewis Base Organocatalysts
Track 3-2: Chiral Bronsted Acid Organocatalysts
Track 3-3: Peptide Based Chiral Organocatalysts
Track 3-4: Phase Transfer Chiral Organocatalysis
Track 3-5: Other Organocatalysis in C-N, C-O and C-C Bond formations

Track 4: Applications of Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis

Track 4-1: Asymmetric Synthesis in Drug Discovery and Processing
Track 4-2: Asymmetric Synthesis of Biocides or Pesticides
Track 4-3: Synthesis of Chiral Unnatural Amino Acids and other Natural
Products
Track 4-4: Enantioselective Synthesis of Analytical Chiral Compounds and
Intermediates
Track 4-5: Asymmetric Synthesis of Optical and other Special Functional
Materials

Track 5: Biocatalysis for Asymmetric Transformations

Track 5-1: Mild to Extremophilic Enzymatic Catalyzed Transformations
Track 5-2: Enzymatic Catalytic Degradations of Biopolymers and Chemical
Polymers
Track 5-3: Microbial and Antibody Catalyzed Asymmetric Reactions

Track 6: Business Development for High Value Chiral Molecules

Track 6-1: Enabled Enantioselective Catalysts on Market
Track 6-2: Purification and Analytic Instrumentation of Enantio-pure
Compounds

Scientific Program
The scientific program will consist of plenary and keynote lectures,
approximately 30 sessions, exhibition and a poster session.
More program information can be found at:
www.bitlifesciences.com/wccas2010
Abstracts of the lectures and posters will be printed in the Conference
Proceedings, which participants will receive at the registration desk and
is included in the registration fee.

Location
The capital city of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing is a
fast-growing, dynamic metropolis that, while courting foreign businesses
and visitors, maintains a firm grip on its rich cultural heritage. Beijing
made history in 2008 with the first Olympic Games ever to be held in
China. The conference will be held in Beijing International Convention
Center (BICC) which is located within the magnificent Asian Games Village.
It is one of the Chinese biggest facilities specifically designed for
conferences and exhibitions, comprising 50 conference halls and meeting
rooms equipped to serve a wide variety of purposes with the capacity from
10 up to 2500 people.

Looking forward to seeing you in Beijing in May, 2010

Sincerely Yours,

Ryan

Program Coordinator
26 Gaoneng St., R405, Dalian Hightech Zone
Dalian, LN 116025, China
Tel: 0086-411-84799609-811
Fax: 0086-411-84799629
Email: ryan@webbitmail.cn
Website: http://www.bitlifesciences.com/wccas2010

1. Are you interested in delivering a speech in this congress? Which session?

2. Would you like to chair or co-chair any session of this conference?

Session details PS: http://www.bitlifesciences.com/wccas2010/program.asp

ERA would like to congratulates Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Group (REFRAC) head by Prof. Dr. Md Nor Musa for their success to get Symbiosis UTM-MTDC grant awarded by MTDC amounted RM 2.5 million.

Congratulations!!

Thank you.

Website: www.utm.my/era

1. As the reactant feed to be tested via the catalytic pilot plant existing in the UTM/CREG laboratory consists of two different types of petroleum hydrocarbons (model compound: n-Decane doped with 1% S (DBT) and complex mixture, it has been recommended by both parties to use Melaka Blended cut (SRGO+SRLGO+DC)  as a real feed stock.
2. Comparison study between two different types of catalysts in terms of activity, selectivity and stability will be carried-out. In this regard, the use of HDS catalyst on Melaka site is also proposed which will resulted in valuable information on evaluation of the currently used catalyst in term of sulfur removal, aromatics saturation, cetane index and deactivation due to coke deposition.
3. As the proposed working plan include the optimization part of HDS operating conditions by developing mathematical models for the responses, an optimization study will carried out to optimize the currently operating conditions employed at the existing HDS unit at Melaka site using RSM approach.

The ceremony which took place on a beautiful afternoon at CREG meeting room was chaired by me. Then I invited Prof. Nor Aishah Saidina Amin to give her speech and inside her speech, she highlighted almost all jobs/tasks as well as contribution that Linda has made to CREG. Then, Linda was invited to deliver her speech, but she was speechless!!! She could not say anything because she was so supprized with the ceremony and never expected it to happen. She cannot say anything, accept thanks. After that, Mahadhir, one of the PhD student recite doa and all of us enjoyed the meal.

The special meal presented was Nasi Serai. I haven’t tasted Nasi Serai before. It was marvelous…

Pictures will be uploaded soon from Yani’s camera… Please be patient…

Special thanks to Naz and Yani to help to plan and organized this event. Also, special thanks to all who have contributed in whatever means to make this ceremony happen.

CREG is searching for new masters and/Ph.D student for the coming semester. We are searching candidates with excellent academic results, strong computer modeling knowledge and impressive dedication.

If you are the person, you will join a dynamic research group consisting of numerous undergraduate, masters and pH.D students. Please explore this website to learn all about the potential research work that you can work on with.

For further information, please contact Prof. Dr. Nor Aishah Saidina Amin at:

07-5535588 (office) or 012-7165490 (hand phone) or email: noraishah@fkkksa.utm.my.

This week, we will have our 2nd “CREG seminar”

The CREG seminar ’s schedule as follows below:

Date      :   21 January 2010 (Thursday)
Time      :   9 – 11 am
Venue    :   BMF

On that day, we have two presenters and they will present their PhD research:-

Dr Norzita Ngadi
“Mechanisms of molecular brush inhibition of protein adsorption onto stainless steel surface”

Dr Tuan Amran
“Hydrogen Production from the catalytic Ethanol Reforming in Supercritical Water”

1) Izyan Zafirah bt. Abdul Rahman
Co-Supervisor: Javaid
Research title: Preparation of activated carbon from empty palm fruit bunch.

2) Noor Aina Bt Mohd NAzri
Co-Supervisor: Zaki Yamani
Research title: Effects of reactant and catalyst bed dilution on conversion of glycerol to olefin

3) Nurul Jannah binti Arsad
Co-Supervisor: Maryam
Research title: Preparation a toolbox for methane reformaing

4) Nur Aainaa Syahirah Bt Ramli
Co-Supervisor: Nazlina
Research title: Ionic liquid treatement in biomass conversion

5) Siti Fatimah Binti Mohamed Razak
Co-Supervisor: Wan Nor Nadyaini Wan Omar
Research title: Heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production.