Research in the Department of Chemistry encompasses the
four traditional disciplines of
analytical, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry, and interdisciplinary
research in areas related to aqueous and aquatic chemistry. Areas
of focus include synthetic organic chemistry, transition metal
and main group inorganic chemistry, electrochemistry, organic
and inorganic water analysis, solution and interfacial chemistry,
theory and spectroscopy. Although the department has traditionally
been most active in basic research, there is increased emphasis
on expanding the program through industrial funding. At the present
time, our externally-funded, applied research projects include
work related to aquatic and marine environmental chemistry, fuel
cell research, the synthesis of anti-viral compounds and photochromic
compounds, electrical steam generator chemistry, and hydrothermal
geochemistry.
A full range of modern equipment includes 300MHz and 100MHz NMR spectrometers; a high resolution mass spectrometer; a single crystal X-ray diffractometer; an ESR spectrometer; a variable temperature superconducting Faraday magnetometer; FTIR, UV/VIS/NIR, microwave and Raman spectrometers; a Raman microprobe; electrochemical for cyclic voltammetry and AC impedance studies; two GC-MS and three HPLC chromatographs; heat capacity and heat of mixing microcalorimeters, and specialized precision thermochemical equipment for studying aqueous systems at high temperatures and pressures. Major equipment is operated by trained specialists and collaborative or service research is welcomed.
From only four students in 1984 the chemistry graduate program has grown to 44 M.Sc. and PhD. students in the 1995-96 academic year. Twelve of the 29 faculty at the St. John's campus and two cross-appointed faculty members are supervising graduate students. A new interdisciplinary M.Sc. program in environmental science began in 1995.
ANDERSON, Hugh J. Professor emeritus
Keywords
• History of chemistry; chemical technology
Current research
• Histories of natural products and their chemistry, including
curare from "The Flying Death" and "Arrows of Mercy"
Past research
• Synthesis of 3-and 2, 3- disubstituted pyrroles
• Commercial preparaton of cod liver oil in Newfoundland
• Pyrrole: from Dippel's oil to DuPont
• Ernest LeSueur: Pioneer Canadian chemical engineer
• The discovery of furfural
• Shawinigan Chemicals, a history
• Gout versus colchicine
• TNT production during WWI
BODWELL, Graham Associate professor
Keywords
• Synthetic organic chemistry
Current research
• Novel hydrocarbons- non-planar aromatics, cyclophanes
• Synthetic methodology, inverser electron demand and Diek-Alder
reactions
Past research
• See above
Potential research
• Supramolecular chemistry
• Total synthesis of biologically-active molecules and drug
candidates
BRIDSON, John N. Professor
Keywords
• X-ray crystallography
Current research
• X-ray crystallography
Past research
• Synthesis of muscarine analogues
• Polar Diels-Alder reactions
• Organoboranes in synthesis
• Decomposition of forest litter
FLINN, Christopher Associate professor
Research specialty
• Application of computational chemical methods for reaction
mechanisms
Current research
• Computational study at the deamination of cytosine and
related compounds
Past research
• GC/MS of halogenated organic compounds using chemical ionization
and electron ionization methodology
• Flamz photometric detection of organometallic compounds
for gas chromatography
Potential research
• Structure, formation and reaction mechanisms of Grignard
reagents
GEORGHIOU, Paris E. Professor
Keywords
• Organic synthesis; Synthesis of biologically-active, organic
molecules;
Analytical chemistry of formaldehyde and other organic gases
Current research
• Synthesis of calixarenes and calixnaphthalenes and their
biological and physicochemical properties
• Synthesis of novel, anti-psoriasis compounds
Past research
• Steroid synthesis and chemistry of Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol)
derivatives
• Air particulate measurements
• Formaldehyde chemistry and analysis
GREGORY, Brian Professor
Keywords
• Organic chemistry, particularly heterocyclic chemistry;
mass spectrometry
Current research
• Dihydropyridine Cation-radical chemistry
• Intramolecular Michael addition reactions
• Synthesis of pyrrolopyrimidine
Past research
• Sequential ring expansion, intramolecular Michael addition
reactions
• Molecular rearrangements in heterocyclic compounds
• Synthesis of 1, 3-Diszepine derivatives
Potential research
• Synthesis of 1, 3-Diazepine nucleoside analogues as potential
antivirals
Special equipment or facilities
• VG Micromass 70-70 HS mass spectrometer
HELLEUR, Robert Associate professor
Keywords
• Analytical chemistry; organics; seawater; environmental
chemistry; marine hydrocarbons; toxins (remove toxins)
Current research
• Analytical pyrolysis of complex biomaterials
• Identification of biomarkers (secondary metabolites) of
environmental stress in trees and lichens
• Applied pyrolysis of waste tires
• Characterization of conducting polymers in pyrolysis-gc-ms
• Analysis of hydrocarbons in marine environments
Past research
• Analysis of polysaccharides
• Trace amino acids and carbohydrates in seawater
Potential research
• Super-critical fluid extraction of pollutants, such as
hydrocarbons and organochlorines, from sediments
• Trace analysis of organic contaminants in seawater and
biological tissue
• Analysis of crude oils
• Analysis of nutraceuticals in herbs and marine plants
Special equipment or facilities
• Gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography,
trace analysis of organics in marine environment
LOADER, Charles E. Professor
Keywords
• Synthetic; organic; heterocyclic; pyrrole
Current research
• Synthesis and reactions of five-membered, heteroaromatic
compounds
LONGERICH, Henry (see Earth Sciences)
LUCAS, C. Robert Professor
Keywords
• Synthetic; inorganic; liquid crystals; magnetochemistry;
co-ordination compounds
Current research
• Complex formation by organometallic sulfides
• Catalysis by thioether complexes of transition metals
• Complex formation by macrocyclic polythioethers
Past research
• Organometallic compounds of lower valent titanium
• Preparation and properties of organo-niobium species
• Catalytic properties of organometallic compounds
MACHIN, W. D. Professor emeritus
Keywords
• Physical adsorption of vapours, porous solids
Current research
• Structure of porous adsorbents
• Properties of liquids in porous adsorbents
PARRISH, Chris (see Ocean Sciences Centre)
PATEL, Jyoti (see Fisheries and Marine Institute)
PICKUP, Peter G. Professor
Keywords
• Synthesis; electrochemistry; spectroscopy; conductivity;
polymers; fuel cells
Current research
• Electronically conducting polymers with metal centres
• Ion and electron transport in conducting polymers
• Proton exchange membrane (PEM), fuel cells
• Low band-gap conducting polymers
Potential research
• Development of conducting-polymer, secondary battery cathodes
• Analytical electrochemistry
• Development of conducting polymer electronic devices
Special equipment or facilities
• AC impedance system
• Potentiostats
• UV/VIS spectrometer
POIRIER, Raymond A. Professor; President's Award for
Outstanding Research (1986)
Keywords
• Theoretical; computational; ab initio; molecular orbital
calculations; software design and development; vector and parallel
computing
Current research
• Structure, reactivity relations
• Facial selectivity in Diels Alder reactions
• Kinetic isotope effects in SN2 reactions
• Decarboxilation of 4-butanoic acid
• Improving generalized, valence-bond calculations
• Development of transition state optimization methods
• Mechanism of the deamination reaction in cytosine
• Use of object oriented programming in computational chemistry
• Methodological and algorithmic developments
Past research
• The process of vision
• Intermolecular interactions
• Gaussian basis sets for MO calculations
• Hydrogen rearrangement reactions
Potential research
• Large molecular calculations
• Calculations of spectroscopic properties
• Intermolecular interactions
• Developments and applications of CI, MC-SCF and MBPT methods
• Calculation of solvent effects
SHAHIDI, F. (See Biochemistry)
STEIN, Allan R. Professor
Keywords
• Mechanistic; organic
Current research
• Kinetic isotope effects
• Ion-pair mechanisms in bimolecular displacement at saturated
carbon
• Optical resolutions and chiral synthesis
• Radio-halides in tracer studies
• Halide-atom exchange processes
Past research
• Ambident anion chemistry
• Chemistry of the isonitriles
• Single electron transfer processes
• Reaction mechanisms through calarimetry
THOMPSON, Laurence K. Professor; University Research
Professor (1995)
Keywords
• Inorganic chemistry; co-ordination chemistry; magnetic
studies; electrochemistry; electron spin resonance spectroscopy;
X-ray crystallography; molecular conductors; ferromagnets; antiferromagnets;
ferrimagnets; metamagents
Current research
• Investigation of structural, magnetic and electrochemical
properties of polynuclear, spin-coupled, co-ordination complexes
Potential research
• Molecular ferromagnets, ferrimagnets and metamagnets with
high Tc
• New magnetic materials, molecular conducting materials,
superconductors
Special equipment or facilities
• SQUID magnetometer, electron spin resonance spectrometer
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