PhD defenses.

Syntheses of Lissoclimide Analogues and the Investigation of Novel Halogen-π Interactions; Progress Towards the Syntheses of Hetisine and Hetidine Natural Products

Abstract:

This presentation will focus on the development of synthetic strategies to facilitate the understanding of the lissoclimide's biological activity and the development of a general synthetic route towards C20-diterpenoid alkaloids. 

Insights into chemical processes garnered through in situ transmission electron microscopy

Abstract: Catalysis remains an important field of research that drives economical approaches for various energy conversion applications from natural resources. Industrial catalyzed reactions occur at the surface of heterogeneous catalysts where many different active sites exist. Any atom not at the surface is not directly used to drive chemical reactions. To improve efficiency, catalytic materials have shrunk to the nano and atomic scale, increasing the surface area/volume ratio.

Exploring 2.2.2-Cryptand for the Expansion of the +2 and +3 Oxidation State Chemistry of the Rare-Earth and Actinide Metals and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Gadolinium Complexes

Abstract: This dissertation describes efforts to expand the area of low oxidation state chemistry for the rare-earth metals and the actinides. The use of the spherically encapsulating 2.2.2-cryptand (crypt) for the isolation of new complexes of +3 and +2 ions of these metals was explored. In addition, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to evaluate the electron configurations of Gd(II) complexes by comparison with Gd(III) analogs.

A Tale of Two IMDAs: An Exploration in Methodology and Natural Product Total Synthesis

Abstract: The first segment of this presentation will detail our development of a methodology to control π-facial selectivity in intramolecular Diels–Alder cyclizations using a silacycle directing group. A panel of substrates is synthesized and tested, providing insight into the capabilities and, more importantly, the limits of the methodology. Deeper mechanistic insight is gained through a deuterium-labelling study, which suggests the role of [1,5] hydride shifts in the formation of the reactive diene. 

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