| Research in Laser Spectroscopy and Materials
Science
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| Project Description: To be determined between professor and student. |
| Student Roles/Responsibilities: Interact with professor and group. Through discussion we can determine a project which serves research needs, achieves educational purpose, and is worthy of academic credit. |
| Minimum Qualifications: A chemistry major. |
New Biological Targets for Treating AIDS |
| Project Description: The genetic information of the HIV virus which causes AIDS is RNA. Students working ont he project will make and characterize HIV RNA and study its interaction with drugs. |
| Student Roles/Responsibilities: The student will make RNA and analyze its properties in the presence and absence of drugs using gel electrophoresis. |
| Minimum Qualifications: The student must be majoring in biochemistry. Students who have completed CHE 375 are preferred. |
Sponsor: Professor James Dabrowiak, 1-014
CST; x4601; e-mail: jcdabrow@mailbox.syr.edu |
Synthesis of Ligands for the Sensitization of Lanthanide Luminescence
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| Project Description: Luminescent lanthanide complexes have a variety of industrrial applications, from luminescent films for multi-color displays, to fluorescent probes for biomedical applications. This project involves the syntheses of new ligands to trigger the luminescence of selected lanthanide ions. |
| Student Roles/Responsibilities: The student will carry out a variety of reactions, some of them under inert gas atmosphere, purify and characterize the products by a variety of techniques. |
| Minimum Qualifications: The student should be a chemistry major. |
Sponsor: Professor Ana de Bettencourt-Dias,
3-008 CST; x2006; e-mail: debetten@syr.edu |
Tellurium: A Renewable Non-toxic Reagent for Triggering Reactions in Organic Chemistry |
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| Project Description: Discovery of new reactions that are environmentally friendly in that a key reagent, elemental tellurium, is recovered and reused. Previously we have applied tellurium chemistry to synthesize the optically active odor component of the esteemed mushroom, Tricholema matsutake, and also the rare sugar boivinose and the lactone component of the cholesterol-lowering statin drugs. | |
| Student Roles/Responsibilities: Laboratory research aimed at discovering and applying new tellurium-triggered reactions. Keeping a detailed laboratory research notebook, attending and participating in group meetings, and writing progress reports are student responsibilities. | |
| Minimum Qualifications: The student should be a chemistry major and preferably have completed the courses in General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. | |
The Chemistry of Sultines
| Project Description: The synthesis of new sultines (cyclic sulfinate esters) and the investigation of their use in Diels-Alder reactions via their decomposition products, o-quinodimethanes, formed by the ejection of sulfur dioxide. The intrinsic chirality or "handedness" of the sulfur atom in the sultine may be brought out by the use of chiral catalysts, and chiral Diels-Alder adducts may result. |
Student Roles/Responsibilities: Laboratory research aimed at the synthesis of new sultines and the investigation of their behavior in Diels-Alder reactions; the latter may involve the use of NMR to follow the rates of disappearance of starting materials and the appearance of products which would be helpful in evaluating the effectiveness of catalysts. Keeping a detailed laboratory research ntoebook, attending and participating in group meetins, and writing progress reports are student responsibilities. |
| Minimum Qualifications: The student should be a chemistry major and preferably have completed the courses in General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. |
Sponsor: Professor Donald C. Dittmer,
(dcdittme@syr.edu), 1-014 CST; x3851; 443-3151 |
New Materials for Synthesizing Certain Insect Pheromones |
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| Project Description: We recently have discovered a method for preparing highly pure right- or left-handed molecules which can be building blocks for one pure form of many pharmaceuticals and pheromones. This method requires development including an optimized total synthesis of a pharmaceutical/pheromone. | |
| Student Roles/Responsibilities: Student will set up and carry out a variety of reactions. The student must become familiar with laboratory and instrumental techniques, chemical theories, background literature, research group meetings, and write thorough and concise reports. A minimum one year commitment is required. | |
| Minimum Qualifications: A student should have finished at least one year of organic chemistry, including laboratory, with grades of B or better. | |
Computer Applications in Physical Chemistry |
| Project Description: Applications of algebraic computing systems such as Reduce or Macsyma to problems in physical chemistry or molecular physics. |
| Student Roles/Responsibilities: Close work with faculty in learning to use and apply these computer programs. |
| Minimum Qualifications: Math background, including calculus.
Linear algebra useful. Physical chemistry or two years of Physics. Some
computer use.
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Technology and the Natural Environment |
| Project Description: Project seeks to develop and apply a variety of models for understanding the potential impact of technologies on the natural environment. (E.g., Carbon Dioxide emissions and the greenhouse effect.) |
| Student Roles/Responsibilities: Laboratory research and experimentation in close consultation with faculty. |
| Minimum Qualifications: Interest in environmental science. Math background (including two semesters of calculus). Some Chemistry or Physics. Some ability on microcomputer. |
Sponsor: Professor Martin Sage, 1-014
CST; x2713, 472-4977; e-mail: mlsage@syr.edu |
How Good is Theory for Molecules? |
| Project Description: Quantum mechanics has been around for a long time ,and it has been said that from now on all chemistry is just a matter of calculations. There are now many fancy computer programs that make these calculations easy. But how well do they work? We will try out these modern methods against some well-known experimental observations as to the structure and vibrations of molecules. |
| Student Roles/Responsibilities: The student will carry out experiments and calculations and will be given freedom to design the "next" experiment. |
| Minimum Qualifications: Two years of college chemistry through organic chemistry. |
Quenching of Fluorescence By Electron Transfer |
| Project Description: We have an ongoing project involving the design of fluorescent nucleic acid for the detection of drug candidates for curing AIDS and other diseases. We have recently decided that the fluorescent group in these nucleic acids should be a chelated terbium ion. This project involves exploratory studies aimed at testing out this new fluorophore for this application. |
| Minimum Qualifications: Two years of college chemistry through organic chemistry. |
Urea Inclusion Crystals: New Optical Materials |
| Project Description: Urea spontaneously forms inclusion crystals with long chain n-alkanes in which the urea forms a hydrogen bonded helix around the n-alkane in its fully extended ("all-trans") form. The crystals that form are hexagonal with the n-alkane oriented along the six-fold axis. In our experiments we replace these n-alkanes with chromophoric (colored) compounds to study the properties of the included molecule and to make useful new optical materials. |
| Student Roles/Responsibilities: The student will carry out experiments and calculations and will be given freedom to design the "next" experiment. |
| Minimum Qualifications: Two years of college chemistry through organic chemistry. |
Sponsor: Professor Bruce Hudson, 3-006
CST; x5805; e-mail: bshudson@syr.edu |
| Better Semiconductors Through Alkaline-Earth Metal Inclusion | |
| Project Description: Many modern semiconductors rely on the inclusion of different metals in the traditional III-V semiconductors to obtain materials with enhanced properties. Among those, the alkaline-earth metals are prime candidates, but they are still difficult to incorporate without introducing impurities. The project will focus on the synthesis and characterization of alkaline-earth derivatives which will be potential sources for alkaline-earth metals in semiconducting materials. | |
| Student Roles/Responsibilities: The student will carry out a variety of reactions, most of them under inert gas. The reaction products will be characterized by various techniques including NMR and IR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. | |
| Minimum Qualifications: A student should have at least finished introductory chemistry (CHE 106/116 or CHE 109/119). | |
New Borane Organometallic Ligand Systems |
| Project Description: Development of new borane organometallic systems, with continuing study of their structure, thermodynamics, and electronic stability. |
| Student Roles/Responsibilities: Involvement in on-going chemical research toward published results. Act as junior scientist, not skilled technician. Maintain research log, attend weekly (evening) group meetings, present own results informally. Weekly conferences with, and periodic reports to Professor Spencer. |
| Minimum Qualifications: Student must have completed CHE 106/116 or 109/119 and 107/117 or 129/139, and CHE 275 and CHE 276. |
Sponsor: Professor James Spencer, 1-014
CST; x3436; e-mail: jtspence@syr.edu |
Organometallic Chemistry, Organ Imaging |
| Project Description: Application of organometallic chemistry in developing diagnostic internal organ imaging pharmaceuticals, especially metalloborane and metalloheteroborane complexes |
| Student Roles/Responsibilities: Involvement in on-going chemical research toward published results. Act as junior scientist, not skilled technician. Maintain research log, attend weekly (evening) group meetings, present own results informally. Weekly conferences with, and periodic reports to Professor Spencer |
| Minimum Qualifications: Student must have completed CHE 106/116 or 109/119 and 107/117 or 129/139, and CHE 275 and CHE 276. |
Sponsor: Professor James Spencer, 1-014
CST; x3436; e-mail: jtspence@syr.edu |
New Borane and Heteroborane Clusters
Project Description: Study or new borane and heteroborane clusters and their corresponding transition and rare earch metal complexes.
Student Roles/Responsibilities: Involvement in on-going chemical research toward published results. Act as junior scientist, not skilled technician. Maintain research log, attend weekly (evening) group meetings, present own results informally. Weekly conferences with, and periodic reports to Professor Spencer.
Minimum Qualifications: Student must have completed CHE 106/116 or 109/119 and 107/117 or 129/139.
Sponsor: Professor James Spencer, 1-014 CST; x3436; e-mail: jtspence@syr.edu
Metal Oxides
Project Description: Synthesis and characterization of molecule scale reaction vessels based on 2-D and 3-D metal-oxide frameworks.
Student Roles/Responsibilities: Synthesis characterization by physical-chemical techniques.
Minimum Qualifications: Organic Chemistry Laboratory
Sponsor: Professor Jon Zubieta, 2-012 CST; x2547, 449-4611; e-mail: jazubiet@syr.edu
Better Ceramics Through Chemistry
Project Description: Synthesis and structural characterization of molecular precursors for Sol-Gel synthesis of solid oxides.
Student Roles/Responsibilities: Synthesis of new materials characterization.
Minimum Qualifications: General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Lots of ENTHUSIASM!
Sponsor: Professor Jon Zubieta, 309 CST; x2547, 449-4611; e-mail: jazubiet@syr.edu