Organic Chemistry

Research Section

Organic Synthesis, Physical Organic Chemistry and Supramolecular Chemistry

Organic molecules are designed and synthesized in order to obtain or screen for specific properties and to elucidate intermolecular interactions and reactivity in both solution and gas phase.

The research activities within organic synthesis focus in part on development of new reactions and in part on development of bio-mimetic scaffolds, functional pi-conjugated molecules, organic macromolecules, carbohydrates, dendrimers, and host-guest systems to be employed in biomimetic catalysis, intelligent medication, conducting polymers, and molecular electronics, drugs or as bio-modulators, sensors, dyes, and photoswitches. The research activities in physical organic chemistry focus on reaction mechanisms, electron transfer processes, molecular photonics, and studies of hydrogen bonding. The molecules and methodologies we develop are being investigated for a wide range of applications including CO₂-capture and utilization, solar-energy capture and storage, new antibiotics and contraceptive drugs, and biomimetic catalysis.

The experimental work includes, in addition to synthesis, solid phase and polymer chemistry, combinatorial chemistry, electrochemistry, and mass spectrometry, in addition to kinetics measurements, photolysis experiments, and UV-Vis and NMR spectroscopy. Supporting high-level computational studies are performed to examine molecular properties and reaction mechanisms.