Covenant College chemistry professor Dr. Dan Zuidema, alumna Katie Wert ’08, and student Sarah Williams ’10 discovered a way to reduce ketones without running the risk of starting fires (a common problem in lab work).

The results of their research were published this spring in the peer-reviewed journal Synthetic Communications. This journal presents communications describing new methods, reagents, and technology pertaining to synthetic organic chemistry with sufficient experimental detail to permit reactions and sequences to be repeated by a chemist reasonably skilled in the art.

“We’ve been continuing our study of reduction reactions in organic chemistry,” says Dr. Zuidema. “Many reduction procedures require the use of hydrogen gas, extremely flammable or explosive reagents, expensive catalysts, or a combination of these. Some of these reagents burst into flames upon exposure to water.

“The method we developed requires isopropanol and sodium hydroxide. Both of these materials are inexpensive and fairly benign compared with many of the reagents required to carry out reductions.”

Their discovery has immediate practical applications. “When making chemical structures, chemists often need different ways to change a ketone into an alcohol to make specific chemical compounds,” explains Sarah. “Some synthetic drugs and other compounds may require this conversion step in order for them to be made. One way of reducing ketones does not work for all molecules, so our research provides another tool in the toolkit that chemical manufacturers use to make chemical compounds.

“Getting to do this research with Dr. Zuidema was such an honor. . . . Often, we would sit and talk over the finer details of the research, how things worked, and why certain byproducts were made.”

Zuidema identified Katie and Sarah as good candidates for research students during classes they had with him and he asked them to join him in this project. Both entered a ‘by invitation only’ upper level course in Research; Katie worked on the project while she was an undergraduate and Sarah helped finish it up.

“Participation in organic chemistry research enables both the students and me to further glorify God and enjoy him,” continued Zuidema. “As Godly scientists make significant discoveries and contributions in chemistry, this aids in dispelling the common mistaken notion that Christians must choose between science and their faith. It is a way in which we make the proclamation that God is sovereign King and that Christ is indeed pre-eminent in all things.”

However, Zuidema points out, not all research is simply an academic event. “We recognize that what we uncover in the research laboratory has been revealed to us by God, the author of all knowledge. God is revealing himself through his creation! Therefore, in research, it is important that we not pursue knowledge solely for the sake of amassing knowledge.

“In the modern academy, there is a tendency to make knowledge into an idol. Instead, we must use the knowledge we obtain in humble service to God and to one another. A practical way in which this can be done in the scientific enterprise is by publishing data. Therefore, as we determine solutions to the problems we study, we disseminate our results in scholarly, peer-reviewed journals and at professional meetings.”

Zuidema explained that there are no plans to seek a patent for this work, which is further evidence of how service to God and one another works out.

Zuidema currently attends Cornerstone Orthodox Presbyterian church in Chattanooga, TN. He attended Calvin College as an undergraduate, and then Wake Forest University as a graduate student.

The Aquila Report looks forward to an additional article form Dr. Zuidema in which he plans to share some more of my thoughts on a “Reformed approach” to pursuing research in the scientific arena.