What is your paper that you are most proud of?
Guérard, F., Lee, Y.-S., Baidoo, K., Gestin, J.-F. & Brechbiel, M. W. Unexpected Behavior of the Heaviest Halogen Astatine in the Nucleophilic Substitution of Aryliodonium Salts. Chem. Eur. J. 22, 12332–12339 (2016).
Why?
Radiolabelling chemistry with 211At has long been derived from its closest homologue element, iodine, with generally a very similar reactivity in organic reactions. During the experiments performed for this study, I had the chance to observe by myself that it is not always the case. Astatine remains as of today a very elusive element, (it has even been qualified as a “chameleon”) and I was glad to report on this unexpected observation. In addition, following publication, I had the chance to be contacted by a national press newspaper which offered me a full page to write an article about it and astatine in general. It was in the newsstands on my birthday!