A Synthesis of Science and Art

August 18, 2016 by chemweb

Preeti Chandrachud, a fifth-year graduate student had her third paper published in the journal Organometallics in June 2016. The editorial board selected this article as a top manuscript and designated it for a cover selection. Since she is an amateur painter, Chandrachud also got the opportunity to design the cover art for the issue.

“I think it shows a great combination of science and art,” says Rachel Rui, director of recruiting, communication, and development in the Department of Chemistry.

Chandrachud’s research group investigates new methods for homogeneous aziridination catalysis. Homogenous catalysis involves preparing catalysts that dissolve in solutions to accelerate a chemical reaction, in this case aziridination. Aziridination is the process of forming a triangular ring with one nitrogen and two carbon atoms.

“Aziridines are important because of their presence in many biologically significant compounds, some of which have anti-tumor and antibacterial properties,” says Chandrachud. “More importantly, aziridines are intermediates for making complicated pharmaceuticals. One example is in the synthesis of Tamiflu.”

Despite their importance, aziridines are difficult to synthesize. In the paper, Chandrachud and her research group describe a general method for preparing a wide variety of aziridines using a novel catalyst. This method is of particular significance because it is environmentally-friendly. The only waste product is nitrogen gas. The group also prepared bicyclic aziridines, which are very important structures for biologically-relevant molecules.

The paper is based on the group’s second generation catalyst. Organometallics is a renowned journal in synthetic chemistry. Chandrachud and her group are especially proud because the editor accepted the paper without any changes, featured it on the cover, and allowed Chandrachud to create the artwork.

“We were very pleased with this decision,” says Chandrachud, whose advisor, David Jenkins, associate professor of chemistry, gave her creative freedom to design the cover art.

The cover design was a collaborate process. Chandrachud drew some rough sketches and while discussing them, Jenkins suggested a winery motif.

“As a wine connoisseur, I loved the idea,” says Chandrachud. “Although I am an amateur painter, Dr. Jenkins trusted me to paint the cover myself.”

After a couple rough paintings, the duo decided on the final design, which appears on the cover of the issue.

“The process was exciting and fun for me because I got to make my own painting for the cover article, which is not a common for many scientific journals. Most covers simply show diagrams or data figures. The editorial staff at Organometallics loved the contrast and original art,” says Chandrachud, who would like to thank UT and NSF for funding the project. “I feel really privileged for the opportunity to finish off my Ph.D. this way.”

Cover art description: Catalytic R₂C=CR₂ + NR aziridination has improved markedly over the last decade, but some of its first vintages were in the early 1980s. The first R₂C=CR₂ + NR aziridination reactions focused on hypervalent iodine reagents as the nitrene (NR) source and conjugated alkenes, such as styrene. Improvements in the early 2000s included the first enantioselective versions of the reaction as well as the first examples with aliphatic alkenes. In the last decade, aryl azides have been employed with both conjugated (2008) and aliphatic alkenes (2011) for more atom-economical aziridinations that do not require protecting groups on the nitrogen. This article showcases the first fully aliphatic R₂C=CR₂ + NR aziridination with aliphatic alkenes and alkyl azides.

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By: AMANDA WOMAC*, PREETI CHANDRACHUD**
*College of Arts and Sciences
** Department of Chemistry

Schweitzer Group News Update

August 9, 2016 by chemweb

1. Melissa Nicole Bailey and Kaitlyn Angela McDonald, graduate students in Schweitzer Group, received diplomas for completion of the requirements in the Program for the Radiochemistry Graduate Certificate. They are only the second and third students awarded such diplomas.
2. George K. Schweitzer and his research group have received a three-year renewal of their grant from Siemens for research on ceramic gamma-ray and X-ray detectors.

Chemistry Business Manager Sharon Marshall Retired after 28 Years of Service

August 9, 2016 by chemweb

Sharon Marshall, business manager for the Department of Chemistry has retired on July 31, 2016, after 28 years of service to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Marshall is a Knoxville local, growing up in Fountain City with her parents and two older sisters. She graduated from Central High School in 1976 and obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from UT  in 1980. After working in Kingsport, Tennessee for a year and half as the youth and children’s choir director and director of activities in a church, Marshall returned to Knoxville. She subsequently worked part time as an adult, youth and choir director and youth director at churches and held part-time jobs in the retail industry. Marshall’s first job at UT was in the library business office in 1985. In 1989, Marshall steered her career back to local music education. But two years after her son was born, in 1992, Marshall decided to return to the University and accepted a job in the chemistry department to assist faculty with managing their awards. She stayed with the department since then. During Marshall’s time in the department, she held five different positions which all involved working with proposals and awards. Marshall was appointed the department business manager in 2005. The following interview was conducted on July 26, 2016, just before Marshall retired.

Interviewer: When did you come to work for UT? And what was your first job?

Marshall: My first position at UT was in the Library Business Office.  I started in August 1985 and left UT in August 1989 to pursue another career outside of UT.

Interviewer: When did you join the chemistry department and what was your first day like?

Marshall: I returned to UT in the Chemistry Department in May 1992.  I don’t remember a whole lot about the first except that several people smoked inside the Business Office/storeroom and I hated smoking.  I remember being overwhelmed the first day partly because the building was in the process of being remodeled floor by floor and they were removing all the asbestos.  You never knew from day to day what to expect.  If a stairwell just stopped all of sudden because the steps were missing or if walls had been removed or knew ones built where none had been before.

Interviewer: What changes have you noticed in the department since your arrival?

Marshall: The first thing is the Business Office/Chemstores was all shelves full of all kinds of things with only the front two rooms used as office space.  After I became the business manager and with 100% support from Dr. Craig Barnes we decided to expand the proposal/grant support for the faculty which involved hiring a second grants and contracts coordinator and another person to handle all of the extra paperwork due to IRIS.  This allowed the business office to work one on one with each faculty member on each of their proposals and maintain their accounts through the entire life of the award. Second, there are a lot of faculty here now that are so young that I could be their mother! Third, with the great knowledge of Dr. Fred Grimm we designed and implemented the Chemistry Purchasing System.  It has been a wonderful tool that has benefited everyone in the department. I will be forever grateful for Fred and his hard work on the project.

Interviewer: What are your most cherished memories here?

Marshall: My most cherished memories are working with Darrell Lay and Bobby Lay. They have become like the brothers I never had.  They made this a fun place and we still got our work done in spite of the laughter!

Interviewer: What will you miss most when you retire?

Marshall: The people who have respected my work and what I have accomplished while I was here. I have made a tremendous amount of friends all over the campus during the past 28 years. Many are very close and dear to my heart. They taught me a great deal about how the university works and how so many aspects effect all of the accounts, whether they are grants or state funds.

Interviewer: What’s your plan after retirement?

Marshall: Well, since UT retirement doesn’t pay enough to live on, I will be seeking a second job. I will be looking for something that doesn’t involve as much responsibility has I have had as the business manager. And I plan on enjoying myself as much as possible. I would like to travel occasionally in the United States.

Professor Kovac Invited to Speak at Swiss Universities

August 9, 2016 by chemweb

Jeff Kovac, professor of chemistry, was invited by the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT) to speak in SCNAT Ethics Lecture Tour, a series of lectures that will take place in the chemistry departments of Swiss Universities that will cover the broad topic of ethics in science endeavor. Kovac was invited to be the first speaker on their inaugural Lectureship.

The lecture tour is organized by Platform Chemistry of SCNAT and is scheduled to take place in fall 2016 in Swiss Institutions. “Our goal is to expose all chemists to this issue, whether they are undergraduate or graduate students, post-doctoral fellows or faculties.” Christophe Copéret, professor of chemistry at ETH Zürich, and President of the Platform Chemistry of the Swiss Academy of Sciences, said. Kovac will visit six universities and academic institutions in Switzerland at the end of October and beginning of November.

Kovac came to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1976. He has a bachelor’s degree from Reed College, a doctorate from Yale University, and two years of postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Some of his recent work is focused on chemistry education and chemistry ethics. Kovac’s talk titled “Ethics of chemical weapon research“ during 2015 American Chemical Society National Conference in Denver, CO, was highlighted in C&EN. He was also elected one of 13 senators in 2015 to Phi Beta Kappa Society, one of the nation’s oldest academic honor society. Kovac directed the Governor’s Schools from 1994 to 2012 and headed up the Science Olympiad from 2008 to 2012. His contributions to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematic) education was recognized by the College of Arts and Sciences back in 2013. Kovac also received Excellence in Academic Outreach Award during 2011 Chancellor Honors Banquet.

SCNAT Ethics Lecture (02.11.2016, ETH Zurich)