Palau'amine
Simon Cotton takes a look at those compounds that find themselves in the news or relate to our everyday lives.
Sounds organic
Indeed, this molecule (C17H22ClN9O2) was first identified in 1993 from the sponge Stylotella aurantium, collected off the Palau Islands in the Pacific. The molecule contains several amine groups, hence its name. No one is quite sure why the sponge makes this molecule - it may deter fish from feeding, or discourage microbes from living on them.
So what's so special about it?
Simon Cotton explains more about this fascinating compound
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