Jun 19, 2007
Resistant to Base
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It has been some time since we had a video interlude on Sciencebase, but I just could not resist this one. It’s definitely one for fans of the late, great Robert Palmer and synthetic organic chemists everywhere.
The lights are on, but you’re not home
You’re in the lab, work-ing alone
Your synthesis, is nearly done
Just add a chain to that car-bon
Don’t you know its resistant to base? The pH is past 14 and your stirring bar is dissol-ving! Dig those shoe covers and the impromptu appearance of a mop head. The only song in the world to rhyme potassium t-butoxide and ammonium hydroxide.
Thanks to Chemistry Central blog to bringing this one to our attention. Bryan Vickery has gathered together several chemistry covers on the site.
David Bradley
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Sciencebase 
July 23rd, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Now that is funny.
Nothing much else to say, really.
Very, very funny…
June 21st, 2007 at 11:40 am
I have to disagree Billy, I think the guitar players are just right, understated in a stereotypical lab-bench jockey way rather than too glammed up.
June 21st, 2007 at 4:46 am
The guitar players could use a little more work. I mean the original Palmer video, they were all glamored out. The ladies in this science video don’t cut it. But overall, nice music video on an esoteric subject of Chemistry.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
I think it’s incredibly well done. I showed my kids the original Robert Palmer clip on Youtube then this version, and that little cough with the guitar swinging into his stomach at the very start and the arm movements are just perfect. Is this kind of video something that Sciencebase readers would like more of? I trialled a few like the potato powered mp3 player and newton done with Lego before. They got lots of traffic but few direct responses. Any thoughts? Any one?
June 20th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
That video was painful to watch but funny all the same. ;)
June 20th, 2007 at 8:36 am
The attention to detail is just great…those shoe covers…amazing!
June 20th, 2007 at 8:00 am
that is a very funny video. :)
Mitch