Life sustaining highly specific chemical reactions occur in the confined and organized medium of protein. Our projects aimed at achieving similar selectivity in (photo)chemical reactions explore the use of readily available hosts that bear similarity to biological media. In our laboratory, spatially confined cavities provided by crystals, zeolites, polymers (nafions), and water-soluble cyclodextrins (natural and functionalized), organic hosts, micelles and dendrimers are currently being explored as reaction media. Photophysical and photochemical probes as well as structural tools are generously utilized in our research to define the characteristics of confined reaction cavities prior to employing them as reaction media.
Our research interests involving synthesis of organic molecules, X-ray crystallography, solid state NMR, spectroscopic structural tools such as UV, IR and NMR, 2D-NMR, steady state and time resolved emission spectroscopy, and computational methods provide well-rounded experimental skills to students. Our projects encompassing concepts from currently popular topics such as nano-chemistry, supramolecular chemistry and green chemistry serve to train students in the broader areas of physical organic chemistry and photochemistry.
Our research interests involving synthesis of organic molecules, X-ray crystallography, solid state NMR, spectroscopic structural tools such as UV, IR and NMR, 2D-NMR, steady state and time resolved emission spectroscopy, and computational methods provide well-rounded experimental skills to students. Our projects encompassing concepts from currently popular topics such as nano-chemistry, supramolecular chemistry and green chemistry serve to train students in the broader areas of physical organic chemistry and photochemistry.
Education
| 1975-78 | Post Doctoral , Columbia University |
| 1974-75 | Post Doctoral , University of Western Ontario, London |
| 1974 | Ph.D. , University of Hawaii |
Organic photochemistry, solid-state chemistry, supramolecular chemistry
