Our faculty members have a diverse range of research interests.
Faculty research interests
Our research is focused on the bioorganic chemistry of vitamin E (tocopherol). We synthesize affinity label and fluorescent analogues of tocopherols as well as specifically deuterated versions to inspect the in vitro and in vivo transport and metabolism of this antioxidant vitamin. We also express several human and animal tocopherol transfer/binding proteins (including naturally occurring and designed mutants) which are then used to explore their role in transferring tocopherol and other molecules between lipid environments. State of the art fluorescence spectroscopy, including stopped flow methodologies, are used to explore the rates and mechanisms of transfer.
Travis Dudding’s research group focus on the use of computational and experimental chemistries for stereoselective catalyst design and the development of asymmetric procedures. Specific projects address:
- The rationalization of stereoselection afforded by and the design of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) as catalysts for the benzoin and Stetter reactions
- The development of novel annulation reactions catalyzed by NHC organocatalysts
- The rationalization of the levels of asymmetric induction in Bronsted acid catalyzed [4+2]-Diels Alder cyclizations.
Antimicrobial resistance is a global health crisis. The production of novel antibiotics and antifungals are insufficient to address the rapid increase in antimicrobial resistance infections. Our group is interested in approaching this problem in two ways. We are interested in the discovery and development of compounds with antibacterial or antifungal activity, and alternative approaches to the treatment or prevention of microbial infections through interrupting pathogenesis.
Our ultrafast photodynamics of quantum materials (UPQM) group leads a unique research direction to understand ultrafast dynamics of next generation quantum devices. The research of UPQM group is to bridge the gap between fundamental photophysics and devices, and to develop next generation technologies to make contributions to society.
The UPQM group research includes three areas:
- Ultrafast carrier dynamics in situ devices: a) ultrafast photocurrent spectroscopy (U-PCS); b) ultrafast electroluminescence spectroscopy (U-ELS).
- Next generation quantum devices: electrically-driven single-photon emitter (quantum dot LED), single-photon detector (infrared high-speed photodetector), solar cells, and thin film transistors.
- Quantum materials synthesis and novel property characterization.
Research efforts in the Lemaire group are very multi-faceted. In general terms, we are interested in the preparation and properties of new hybrid inorganic/organic materials. This work encompasses basic and advanced organic synthetic techniques, in particular, for the preparation of new ligands, as well as coordination and polymer chemistry.
Our lab group is particularly interested in metal transport, molecular properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM), microbial transformations of DOM in relation to metal uptake, and microbial metabolomics. We conduct research that falls under biogeochemistry, analytical chemistry, environmental chemistry, and bioanalytical chemistry. Our lab group uses cutting-edge analytical techniques to better understand carbon biogeochemistry at the molecular scale while devising new tools to solve analytical problems in environmental chemistry.
Our research study focuses on the study of proton and electron transfer reactions in photosynthetic systems. Various Computational techniques will be employed that provides the rationale for molecular processes in photosynthetic and biological systems. The methods include classical based Monte Carlo based continuum electrostatics study, Molecular Dynamics, and quantum-based methods.
Our research program is focused on designing new chiral reagents and catalysts for applications in asymmetric synthesis. The targets have structural features that are expected to provide complementary reactivity and/or improvements in stereoselectivity over known reagents, but have been difficult or impractical to make in the past. Our intention is to develop viable routes to these materials to allow their systematic evaluation as catalysts.
To this end, we have developed a route to benzannulated N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) derived from phenanthrolines and in which the positions of the stereogenic centers are in closer proximity to the carbenoid centre than in “Grubbs-like” NHCs. More recently, we have devised asymmetric syntheses of C1-symmetric pyrroloimidazol(in)ylidene NHCs, which also have proximal chiral centers in a ring. This development is significant for several reasons: (1) There is a lack of previous examples of these reagents because they require lengthy syntheses (2) As nucleophilic reagents they are expected to catalyze the formation of different products over more common thiazolium and triazolium precatalysts due to electronic differences. (3) The use of C1-symmetric “Grubbs-like” NHCs in enantioselective transition-metal-catalysis is increasing. (4) Bulky versions of pyrroloimidazol(in)ylidene NHCs may form “Frustrated” Lewis Pairs (FLPs) with B(C6F5)3 and activate small molecules such as H2 leading to potential development of metal-free hydrogenation and other reactions.
We are also currently developing an enantioselective synthesis of planar chiral aminoferrocenes of in which nitrogen is directly attached to the cyclopentadienyl (Cp) ring. This class of compounds is not easily accessible so there has been little in-depth exploration of enantiopure aminoferrocene ligands. Our unique approach to their preparation starts with aminoferrocenes, whose complexes with BF3 undergo enantioselective lithiation–electrophile quench on the Cp ring to give products of considerable structural diversity. This method, under patent protection in the U.S. and Canada, has yielded aminoferrocenes with unusual substitution patterns, such as 1,2-aminophosphines. Preliminary applications of these ligands in asymmetric iridium-catalyzed hydrogenation have given excellent levels of enantioselectivity, which bodes well for their further development.
We are interested in developing the organometallic and coordination chemistry of transition metal complexes featuring main-group element ligands (E=B, Al, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, P, As, Sb, Bi). Such complexes are encountered in many important main-group element transfer processes, such as hydroboration, hydrosilation, Suzuki coupling, dehydrogenative silane coupling etc, and in addition often exhibit unusual M-E and/or interligand (for instance, E…H) bonding. In this venue, our research is focused on two main topics:
1) The development of new effective synthetic approaches to the main-group element substituted complexes and investigation of their synthetic and catalytic activity. We have been successfully applying the synthetic potential of transition metal hydride in the construction of M-E bonds. Therefore, we also have strong interest in the general problems of hydride chemistry;
2) Much of our recent work has been recently directed toward the investigation of non-classical interligand Si-H, B-H and Si-Si interactions. In particular, we pioneered the study of Interligand Hypervalent Interactions (IHI) and stretched agostic Si-H interactions.
Our research touches many synthetic, structural and theoretical aspects of transition metal complexes, including inter alia the design of new ligand environments, X-ray and neutron diffraction analyses, and bond theory.
Research in the Pilkington group spans topics in synthetic and structural inorganic chemistry with a focus on the problems at the interface of supramolecular and materials chemistry. Our aim is to define and address important synthetic challenges and tackle their solution with a wide range of physical, chemical and spectroscopic data. The techniques of X-ray crystallography, magnetometry, mass spectroscopy and electrochemistry are particularly important in our studies and reflect the breadth of the problems under investigation.
One of the major challenges facing synthetic chemists working in the area of molecular materials is the design and preparation of dual property materials e.g. combining electronic with optical and/or magnetic properties. Our approach attempts to address this challenge and focuses on the combination of metal centres with two classes of organic molecules, namely tetrathiafulvalene derivatives and phthalocyanines.
Our research is focused on the bioorganic chemistry of biologically important macromolecules. We are interested in the development of methodology for the synthesis of deoxyribonucleotides on relatively large scales. Our work also involves the development of new platforms for efficient delivery of siRNAs to target cells. Other interests include chemical and enzymatic synthesis of complex carbohydrates and glycoconjugates pertaining to human health.
Silicon is the second most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, second only to oxygen. As a result, the field of silicon chemistry rivals that of organic chemistry in its complexity and breadth. Our research efforts focus on three main areas:
- Silicon Biotechnology
- Silicone and Silicone-Modified Materials
- Silicon-Based Coatings
Of particular interest to our group is the study of “green” methodologies in silicon chemistry which include exploring silicon biotechnology and reactions that can be performed in the absence of solvent, or that can be performed in/on water. Associated with these particular efforts are our interests in developing unique silicon-based delivery systems for biologically active agents, aqueous silane-based coatings, and innovative silicon-based polymeric systems.
