Chemistry and Chemical Physics Graduate Programs brochure

University of Nevada, Reno
Chemistry
AND CHEMICAL PHYSICS
GRADUATE STUDIES

Contents
Welcome 3
About the University of Nevada, Reno 4
The Chemistry Program 5
Degree Programs 5
Courses 5
Credit Requirements 5
Examinations 6
Student Seminars 6
Research 6
Graduate Teaching 7
Graduate Courses 7
Graduate Admission 8
Chemical Physics Program 9
Facilities and Equipment 11
Reno: The Community and Its Setting 13
The Faculty
Above: Students align a Nd:YAG laser system in Dr.
Cline’s laboratory. Below: Reno skyline. At right:
the Chemistry building. On cover: View of the
University of Nevada.
Frank G. Baglin 16
Thomas W. Bell 17
Ana de Bettencourt-Dias 18
Sean M. Casey 19
Vincent J. Catalano 20
Joseph I. Cline 21
Kent M. Ervin 22
Brian J. Frost 23
Benjamin T. King 24
David M. Leitner 25
David A. Lightner 26
Jason Shearer 27
Robert S. Sheridan 28
Suk-Wah Tam-Chang 29
Hyung-June Woo 30
Liming Zhang 31
Sarah A. Cummings, Garry N. Fickes, Sési M. McCullough, Charles B. Rose 32
Scott W. Waite, Richard D. Burkhart 33
Kenneth C. Kemp, H. Eugene Lemay, Jr., John H. Nelson 34
Hyung K. Shin 35

Thank you for your interest in the Department of Chemistry at the
University of Nevada, Reno.
We are a teaching- and research-oriented department offering degrees
in Chemistry (B.S., M.S., Ph.D.), Environmental Chemistry (B.S.), and
Chemical Physics (Ph.D., jointly with the Physics Department), including
bachelor’s degree programs certified by the American Chemical Society.
As a relatively small department, we are able to provide close interactions
among students and faculty. Many of our undergraduates and all of
our graduate students participate in state-of-the-art chemistry research,
working with a faculty mentor. Our graduates go on to employment in
academia, industry, and government; many of our Bachelor’s degree graduates are admitted
to high-ranked graduate chemistry programs, medical, or dental schools. In the most recent
National Resource Council survey of chemistry departments, our department was ranked
second nationally among departments of our size or smaller.
We are located in the Chemistry Building near the
center of the University of Nevada, Reno campus.
This brochure is designed to provide information for
both current and prospective students about our
programs and services. More detail can be found on
our web site (link at right).
Please contact us if you have any questions.
— Dr. Vince Catalano, Department Chair
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For more information write:
Graduate Admissions Committee
Department of Chemistry
University of Nevada, Reno
Reno, NV 89557-0216
E-mail: grad@chem.unr.edu
Website: www.chem.unr.edu
Or call (775)-784-6041

About the University of Nevada, Reno
Situated on the foothills at the northern edge of the
Truckee Meadows metropolitan area, the University of
Nevada campus commands a panoramic view of the
Washoe Mountains to the east, the Sierra Nevada to the
west, and Reno to the south. The University is a land
grant institution and the oldest of the eight institutions
in the Nevada System of Higher Education. The student
body numbers over 16,000 and consists of the Colleges
of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Natural Resources;
Business Administration; Education; Engineering; Health
and Human Sciences; the Reynolds School of Journalism;
Liberal Arts; Medicine; and Science. Additionally,
Cooperative Extension is a non-degree-granting college.
Several schools exist as sub-units of the colleges, including
the Schools of Nursing, Public Health, and Social Work
in Health and Human Sciences, the School of the Arts in Liberal Arts, and the Mackay School of
Earth Sciences and Engineering in the College of Science. The Department of Chemistry is part
of the College of Science with its graduate programs administered by the Graduate School.
The 255-acre main campus features both historic and contemporary
architecture. The central campus includes scenic Manzanita
Lake (pictured above) and the beautiful elm-lined Quadrangle
(pictured at left), listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
On the campus are five galleries and museums, the Church Fine
Arts Complex with several theaters, and the Lawlor Events Center, a
regular site for concerts, athletic events, and other local activities. At
the north end of campus are the university-affiliated Fleischmann
Planetarium and the E.L. Cord Public Telecommunications Center,
The central Quad on the
campus.
which provide educational programs and public radio/TV broadcasting.
Although affordable on-campus parking is available for students,
many choose to find housing among a wide variety available
within convenient walking or cycling distance to campus. There is also an extensive public
transportation system providing campus access from throughout the Truckee Meadows.
The University is the cultural focus of Northern Nevada, sponsoring a special performing
artist series, a plethora of musical concerts, an active drama program with several plays on
campus each year, and frequent exhibitions that feature local artists. In addition, it supports
major college athletics such as football, basketball, track, baseball, swimming, and volleyball as
a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
The chemistry department maintains a close relationship with other campus departments
with related interests, including biochemistry, molecular biology, and physics. The Desert
Research Institute (DRI), a division of the university system, is headquartered in Reno and
sponsors research programs of particular concern to Nevada and other western states. Desert
biology, atmospheric chemistry and physics, and water and soil resources are primary areas of
research at the institute.
4
Manzanita Lake on the University
campus.

The Chemistry Program
In comparison with many contemporary graduate institutions, Nevada’s chemistry department
enjoys an exceedingly favorable student to faculty ratio, with 17 faculty, 60-65 graduate
students, and typically 12-15 postdoctoral associates and visiting faculty. Our department has
enjoyed tremendous growth in its personnel and research facilities over the past 10 years. The
research programs in the department enjoy an excellent international reputation, reflecting our
commitment to quality and our success in competing for research funding. Research grants in
the department total more than $1 million per year, with much of that money spent on support
for graduate research assistants.
An important aspect of graduate education is exposure to and interaction with scientists
from outside the university. The department maintains an outstanding seminar program
with approximately 40 outside speakers of international stature each year, many from overseas.
Among the highlights of this program are the annual R.C. Fuson Lectureship, the annual
Distinguished Physical Chemist Lectureship, and the biennial Sierra Nevada ACS Distinguished
Chemist Lectureship, which have featured many Nobel Laureates.
Degree Programs: The Department of Chemistry offers
graduate programs leading to a Master of Science in
Chemistry and to a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry. An
interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Chemical Physics is offered
in cooperation with the Department of Physics. Students
enrolled in the Chemical Physics program follow a different
set of requirements, outlined beginning on page 9.
Courses: The department emphasizes individualized
programs for each graduate student, tailored to interest and
career goals. Initial assessment examinations in inorganic,
organic, and physical chemistry are given at the beginning
of students’ graduate studies in order to ascertain preparation
levels. The examinations are used primarily for initial
Students discuss organic chemistry
in Dr. Zhang’s laboratory.
advisement purposes to help select a program of courses appropriate to individual student
training. Each year a monetary award is presented to the entering student with the best overall
performance on these exams.
Chemistry M.S. and Ph.D. graduates are expected to have a broad background in the major
areas of chemistry. Most students take “core” courses in the areas of inorganic (CHEM 631),
organic (CHEM 642), and physical chemistry (CHEM 650) during their first semester. Students
that demonstrate exceptional proficiency in one or more areas on the qualifying exams may be
exempted from taking the corresponding core courses. Following the graduate core courses,
two additional graduate lecture courses are required for the M.S. degree; four additional graduate
lecture courses are required for the Ph.D. degree. These specialized courses are chosen
in consultation with one’s research adviser to fit specific interests and to provide a suitable
background for research.
Credit Requirements: The general credit requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in
Chemistry are listed on the website at: www.chem.unr.edu. Information on requirements for
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the Chemical Physics Ph.D. program are given separately on pages 9-10. Further details about
degree requirements, including general requirements of the Graduate School, may be found in
the most recent General Catalog of the University of Nevada, Reno, and the Chemistry Graduate
Student Guidelines, which always supersede the information given here.
Examinations: The written candidacy exam in chemistry is a series of cumulative examinations
that are given to test one’s ability to solve problems in chemistry and to integrate material
from various courses, the current chemical literature, and seminars. After completion of the
cumulative exam requirement an oral comprehensive examination is required for admission to
Ph.D. candidacy. Fulfillment of the requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees is attained with
the writing of an original thesis (M.S.) or dissertation (Ph.D.) on one’s research. Finally, the thesis
or dissertation is defended in an oral examination before one’s graduate advisory committee.
Student Seminars: Recognizing the importance of oral communication in the sciences, the
department requires all graduate students to present at least two departmental seminars. The
first of these is given in the third semester of residence and is based on a topic taken from the
chemical literature. The second seminar, usually given no later
than the third year of residence, is a final thesis seminar for M.S.
candidates and a “research progress report” for Ph.D. candidates.
Ph.D. students also often present a dissertation seminar immediately
prior to their oral defense.
Students work on an ultrahigh
vacuum chamber in Dr. Casey’s
laboratory.
Research: Research is the foundation for all the graduate
degree programs offered by the Department of Chemistry. The
focus of graduate study is a program of original research under
the direction of a faculty adviser. Students are encouraged to
select a research adviser and start on thesis (M.S.) or dissertation
(Ph.D.) research by the second semester in residence. This
is especially important as one’s research topic is a large factor in
determining subsequent course curriculum. Research study options in the department include
organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, theoretical chemistry, chemical
physics, physical organic chemistry, bio-organic chemistry,
bio-inorganic chemistry, and organometallic chemistry. After
choosing a research adviser, a graduate advisory committee
comprised of the adviser and other faculty in the chemistry
department is formed. This committee approves programs of
study and presides over oral examinations. The research program
culminates in the completion of a thesis or dissertation.
Graduate Teaching: The ability to communicate knowledge
to others is an important part of a graduate education,
whether or not one plans to pursue a career in teaching. The
department requires that all graduate students have some
teaching experience as part of their advanced degree require-
6
A student working up a reaction
in Dr. Bell’s laboratory.

ments. To aid in the development of teaching and communication skills, beginning teaching
assistants participate in the Graduate School Instructional Development orientation program
just prior to their first fall semester, and take CHEM 700, Supervised Teaching in College Chemistry,
during their first fall semester.
A typical first year graduate student is assigned to teach two laboratories per week (6 contact
hours) plus some exam proctoring and grading. Lab responsibilities include providing brief
introductions of the experiments, answering student questions in lab, and grading students’
written lab reports. Experiments take 1.5 to 3 hours and the enrollment of lab sections is
limited to 25 students. Teaching assistants frequently generate and administer pre lab quizzes
to their students to test preparation and understanding of concepts used in the experiments.
Each year the department presents an award to its outstanding teaching assistant.
Graduate Courses: The following is a listing of regularly offered graduate courses in the
Department of Chemistry. Courses in other departments of interest to chemistry graduate
students may be found in the UNR General Catalog. The University of Nevada, Reno operates
on the semester system with the Fall semester beginning in late August and ending in mid
December, and the Spring semester beginning in late January and ending in mid May.
631 ADVANCED INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
635 CHEMICAL SYNTHESIS
642 ADVANCED ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
643 ORGANIC SPECTROSCOPY AND STRUCTURE
644 ORGANIC STRUCTURE DETERMINATION LABORATORY
649 POLYMER CHEMISTRY
650 ADVANCED PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
651 THE ELEMENTARY PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY OF MACROMOLECULES
655 INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS
700 SUPERVISED TEACHING IN COLLEGE CHEMISTRY
711 THEORETICAL INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
712 THE LESS FAMILIAR ELEMENTS
713 ORGANOMETALLIC CHEMISTRY
714 SPECIAL TOPICS IN INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
740 ADVANCED ORGANIC SYNTHESIS
741 ADVANCED ORGANIC STRUCTURE ELUCIDATION
742 THEORETICAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
743 SPECIAL TOPICS IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
744 STEREOCHEMISTRY AND CONFORMATIONAL ANALYSIS
745 CHEMISTRY OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
751 SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
752 CHEMICAL KINETICS
754 MOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY
755 STATISTICAL THERMODYNAMICS
757 QUANTUM CHEMISTRY
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Graduate Admission: Formal application is required for admission to the degree programs of
the Graduate School. Application materials may be requested by writing to the address given
below or visiting the web site at www.chem.unr.edu. The application consists of several parts,
including an application form for admission to our graduate school and an application form for
graduate fellowship for financial support, instructions for completing these forms, and envelopes
for letters of recommendation written by individuals able to comment on one’s qualifications
for graduate studies. Completed application forms should then be sent directly to the
chemistry department. The department accepts applications at all times of the year; however,
most students apply during the winter and spring of their senior year in college for admission
in the following fall semester.
Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry or a related field, and should have
a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for admission to the Ph.D. program and 2.75 (or 3.0 for the
last two years) for the M.S. program. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general exam scores
must be submitted as part of the application. Consideration for admission to the department’s
program is based on one’s apparent potential for successful completion of the degree
as indicated by undergraduate performance, letters of recommendation, and GRE scores. The
department encourages applications from women and minority students.
Financial Aid: Financial support for incoming graduate students is provided primarily through
teaching fellowships. The amount of the stipend for a ten month appointment is adjusted for
cost of living increases each year, and the department should be contacted to learn the current
stipend. Students generally receive an additional two month research fellowship during
the summer. It should be noted that the actual value of a teaching fellowship appointment
for an out of state student is quite a bit higher because tuition and other fees are significantly
subsidized.
Financial support from research assistantships and fellowships is also available to highly
qualified entering students. It is the usual practice of the department to support students
during the entire time that they are working toward an advanced degree. Most students
are supported during the bulk of their graduate studies on their research director’s research
grants. It has been our experience that the stipends we provide to students, coupled with the
reasonable cost of living found in Reno, make it possible for students to maintain a comfortable
lifestyle.
For more information regarding the department’s graduate
program and financial assistance, please contact:
Chairman, Graduate Admissions Committee
Department of Chemistry
University of Nevada, Reno
1664 N. Virginia St.
Reno, NV 89557-0216
E-mail: grad@chem.unr.edu
or to apply on-line please see our web site at:
http://www.chem.unr.edu
8
Students load a sample into an
ultrahigh vacuum chamber for surface
chemical analysis in Dr. Casey’s
laboratory.

Chemical Physics
The chemical physics program provides an interdisciplinary curriculum for those students
whose primary research interests are in atomic and molecular physics and physical chemistry.
While requiring the student to complete a rigorous selection of courses that outline the foundations
of modern chemical physics, the chemical physics program also offers extreme flexibility
in the choice of dissertation topic as the student may choose any of the affiliated faculty
in either the chemistry or the physics departments to serve as a research adviser.
Graduates of the program have gone on to a variety of outstanding postdoctoral research
and teaching positions, with many excellent employment opportunities awaiting them in
academics, industry, and government research labs. Several of today’s most exciting new technologies
are in the areas of molecular and materials sciences— for example, nanotechnology,
molecular devices, and high temperature superconducting materials— and a background in
chemical physics is the key to exploring the future in these areas.
Curriculum: The curriculum in chemical physics is based on five required, or “core,” courses
which should be taken as early as possible in the student’s residency. The core courses are
comprised of the following:
Mathematical Physics PHYS 701
Quantum Theory I CHEM 757 or PHYS 721
Quantum Theory II PHYS 722 or CHEM 750
Statistical Mechanics CHEM 755 or PHYS 732
Choice of:
Classical Mechanics PHYS 702
Chemical Kinetics CHEM 752
Modern Optics and Laser Physics PHYS 730
Additional, or “elective,” courses in areas of particular interest to the student are then used to
fill out the curriculum. These courses are typically chosen from the 600- and 700-level courses
offered by the physics, chemistry, and mathematics departments. A full listing of the degree
requirements for the program can be found on the web page: www.chemphys.unr.edu
Associated Faculty: The faculty associated with the chemical physics program are listed
below along with a brief indication of their research areas.
Frank G. Baglin Chemistry Raman scattering in supercritical fluids
Bruno S. Bauer Physics Experimental studies of plasma waves and
instabilities
Reinhard Bruch Physics Low and high energy ion-atom and ion-
molecule collisions
Sean M. Casey Chemistry Semiconductor surface science
Joseph I. Cline Chemistry Molecular stereodynamics
Andrei Derevianko Physics Theoretical physics
9

Kent M. Ervin Chemistry Cluster ion reactions and photophysics
David M. Leitner Chemistry Biophysical theoretical chemistry
Roberto C. Mancini Physics Theory and modeling of laser-produced
transient plasmas
Katherine R. McCall Physics Theoretical condensed matter physics
Hans Moosmüller Physics Atmospheric and aerosol physics
Ronald A. Phaneuf Physics Experimental studies of highly charged ion
interactions with electrons and atoms
Alla Safranova Physics Theoretical plasma physics
Jonathan Weinstein Physics Ultracold atomic and molecular physics
Peter Winkler Physics Theory of many-body systems
Hyung-June Woo Chemistry Biophysical theoretical chemistry
Admission: Admission into the chemical physics program is handled separately by the chemistry
and physics departments. Interested students whose background is primarily in chemistry
are encouraged to apply through the chemistry department, listing “chemical physics” as the
specific area of chemistry on the application form. Those students whose background is in
physics should likewise seek admission through the physics department. The individual departments
provide financial support through teaching and research fellowships to the chemical
physics students that they admit.
For more information about the program, please contact:
Prof. Joseph I. Cline
Director, Chemical Physics Program
Department of Chemistry
University of Nevada, Reno
1664 N. Virginia St.
Reno, NV 89557-0216
WWW: http://www.chemphys.unr.edu
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Facilities and Equipment
Chemistry research is heavily reliant on modern facilities, instrumentation, and technical
support personnel. The Chemistry Department at Nevada is endowed with a full complement
of support services, shops, and laboratories. These facilities are managed by our Director of
Chemistry Laboratories, Scott Waite.
The Chemistry Building is a four-story structure located in the central campus, adjoining the
Leifson Physics Building and near the engineering research complex. Custom research instruments
are fabricated in our professionally staffed machine shop
and a student shop is also available. Specialty glassware and
high vacuum systems are fabricated in the glass shop. Custom
circuit design, construction, and instrument maintenance is
provided by electronics engineer Tom Grothaus in the electronics
shop.
Research in synthetic chemistry is heavily dependent on the
most sophisticated tools for structure elucidation. The Magnetic
A student sets up a reaction
in a fume hood in Dr. Bell’s
laboratory.
Resonance Laboratory houses three nuclear magnetic resonance
spectrometers for departmental use: two Varian 400-MHz spectrometers,
and a Varian Unity-Plus 500-MHz spectrometer. The
400-MHz instruments are equipped with quad nucleus probes
(proton, fluorine, carbon, and phosphorous) and a 100 sample autochanger. The Varian-500 is
a multi-nuclear instrument with variable temperature, double resonance, and two-dimensional
capabilities, and it can also carry out C/H/P triple resonance, indirect detection, and gradient
spectroscopy. Each NMR instrument is connected by Ethernet to remote data stations for
off-line data processing and analysis. Magnetic resonance specialist Lew Cary maintains these
instruments and provides expert assistance with more sophisticated experiments. The X-ray
structure determination laboratory is equipped with a Bruker-Nonius SMART Apex CCD-based
single crystal diffractometer with low temperature capabilities. This instrument is interfaced to
multiple workstations for data analysis and structure visualization. Mass spectrometry can be
performed using a Saturn GC-MS equipped with an autoinjector, a Bruker Proflex MALDI-TOF
instrument, a Waters atmospheric pressure chemical ionization / photoionization / electrospray
ionization (APCI / APPI / ESI) quadrupole mass spectrometer, or the high-resolution mass spectrometry
center on campus, depending on one’s sample needs. Transient emission, absorption,
and excited state lifetime studies are possible using the departmental laser spectroscopy facility
which includes a diode array spectrometer and a tunable pulsed laser. The department also
maintains an atomic absorption spectrometer, a routine Perkin-Elmer Spectrum 2000 FTIR with
mid- and far-IR capabilities, a routine Fluoromax-3 Horiba fluorimeter, several UV-vis spectrophotometers,
and a scanning tunneling microscope that are primarily used for instructional
purposes. Electronic absorption, infra-red, and fluorescence spectroscopies are facilitated by
several other departmental teaching spectrometers.
Computational facilities are a critically important part of chemical research. The chemistry
department maintains several high performance Beowulf computer clusters. The departmental
general use cluster is configured with 42 2.2-GHz AMD Opteron (64-bit) processors, 84 GB of
RAM, TB RAID disk storage, and gigabit networking. Computational research groups also have
their own clusters. PBS and a sophisticated scheduler handle job allocations. Available applica-
11

tions include Gaussian 03,
Amber, NWChem, Ghemical,
and ORCA. A chemistry computing
laboratory consisting of
12 Pentium IV-class computers
is available for instructional
and research computing.
These departmental machines,
together with those in
individual research groups, are
connected by the departmental
Ethernet to the high-speed
campus fiber optic computing
backbone and the Internet.
The department’s computer
systems are coordinated by
our Computing and Networking
Administrator.
Much of our most impressive
and specialized instrumentation
is found within the
laboratories of individual research
groups. Computational
equipment available includes
UNIX and LINUX workstations and a host of
desktop microcomputers. The physical chemistry
groups utilize lasers for non-linear, highresolution,
or fast spectroscopy, and for studies
of molecular dynamics. Laser equipment
includes pulsed high-power Nd:YAG lasers, tunable
infrared and visible semiconductor lasers,
high-power excimer lasers, Ar ion lasers, copper
vapor lasers, and several tunable CW and
pulsed dye lasers. Other state-of-the-art equipment
includes high vacuum molecular beam
and ion beam chambers, ultra-high vacuum
chambers for studies of surface chemistry, a
variety of specialized optics and instruments
for nonlinear spectroscopy and polarized laser
experiments, ion and photon detectors, fast
digital oscilloscopes and detection electronics,
and time-of-flight, quadrupole, and magnetic
mass spectrometers and octopole ion traps.
Most synthetic chemistry groups have their
Chemsitry front office staff: (l to r) Roxie Taft, Jennifer Melius,
Xanthea Elsbree, and Jenny Costa.
12
(Above left) Machinist Walt Weaver fabricates
specialized instruments for research projects in
the chemistry department. (Above) Electrical
engineer Tom Grothaus designs and fabricates
custom electronic circuits for research projects.
(Above right) Lew Cary manages the departmental
magnetic resonance laboratories.

own Fourier transform IR spectrometers and other specialized research instruments.
The DeLaMare Library currently subscribes to about 1200 print journals and provides connection
to over 19000 electronic journals. The Library, which is the physical science and engineering
library on the UNR campus, houses Chemical Abstracts and provides 24-hour access via
SciFinder to the full Chemical Abstracts and Registry files online. Bound journal volumes and
an exhaustive collection of reference books (about 100000) are also housed there. Computer
access to on-line retrieval services and databases is readily available, with assistance provided
from our librarians. The online catalog provides instant information on holdings in the entire
University of Nevada Library System and other libraries connected to the Internet.
Reno: The Community and its Setting
Reno is situated in a broad valley of the Truckee River on the eastern slope of the Sierra
Nevada Mountains and on the western boundary of the Great Basin high desert. Reno weather
is temperate due to the mountainous location and the elevation of 4500 feet. Summers are
comfortable and dry with cool evening temperatures and low humidity. Despite heavy snow
in the surrounding mountains, winters in Reno are moderate with only occasional, short-lived
snowfalls. The average temperatures call for highs in January of 45 F and lows of 18 F. July
temperatures range from a normal high of 91 F to a normal low of 50 F.
Reno has long been famed as "The Biggest Little City in the World." With a population of
about 400,000 in the greater Reno area, the region offers the advantages and excitement of
a major urban area along with the quality of life characteristic of a relatively small western
community. The major industry in Reno is tourism and the big names in show business can
be found in the downtown and Lake Tahoe entertainment centers. Fine restaurants and night
clubs exist in abundance.
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Reno also supports a thriving
arts community rivaled by few
cities of its size: philharmonic
and chamber orchestras, a
municipal band, an opera
guild, a performing artist series,
a summer arts festival, and
active theater groups. Several
art galleries, museums, and a
planetarium are located on or
near the university campus and
throughout the community.
The municipally-owned Pioneer
Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Reno and the Church Fine Arts Complex at the
university provide fine settings for artistic and cultural events. The Convention Center near the
southern edge of the city and the Lawlor Events Center on campus are used for indoor athletic
activities such as basketball, for large concerts, conventions, and trade fairs.
Many major special events and festivals are
held in Reno on an annual basis. Examples include
the National Championship Air Races, The
Great Reno Balloon Race, Hot August Nights
(a celebration of 50's music, cars, and culture),
the Nevada State Fair and the Reno Rodeo ("the
World's Wildest and Richest"). Reno is the home
of the National Bowling Stadium, where bowling
tournaments are held regularly. The nearby
communities of Virginia City and Carson City are
of interest to fans of the culture and history of the Old West.
Rand McNally's Vacation Places Rated has ranked Reno-Tahoe as the number one location
in the nation for outdoor sports activities. Dozens of’ golf courses lie within an hour's drive of
downtown Reno and numerous parks, swimming pools, and picnic areas are found within the
city. The Truckee River, which runs from Lake Tahoe through Reno to Pyramid Lake, provides a
natural parkway that winds through the heart of the city and a developed bicycle and pedestrian
path follows its course. Reno is surrounded by public lands that provide hiking and mountain
biking opportunities immediately accessible
from the city and the university campus.
The Reno-Lake Tahoe area provides one of
the highest concentration of developed alpine
and nordic skiing facilities in the world and back
country skiing opportunities are equally accessible.
In summers, road and mountain biking,
camping, hiking (including portions of the Pacific
Crest Trail and the Tahoe Rim Trail), and rock
climbing in the Sierra Nevada are unsurpassed.
14

To the east of the city, the rugged mountains and isolation of
the Great Basin desert challenge more adventurous outdoor
enthusiasts with country as wild and remote as can be found
in the West, including National Forests and National Wilderness
Areas. Big game and bird hunting, as well as fishing, are outstanding
in the immediate Reno area and throughout the state.
Special regional attractions include the winter sports complex
at Squaw Valley, site of the 1960 Winter Olympics, one of the
country’s largest cross-country ski resorts at Royal Gorge, and
the unique year-round recreational opportunities at Lake Tahoe
and Pyramid Lake.
Beyond the local area, Yosemite,
Lassen Volcanic, Great Basin, Redwood,
Crater Lake, Death Valley, and
Sequoia and King’s Canyon National
Parks are located within a day’s drive from Reno. Interstate 80 leads
west through Sacramento (about two and one-half hours), to the
San Francisco Bay area (about four hours), passing through some of
the finest mountain scenery in the nation.
Reno is a major industry and trade center for the western
geographic region. While gaming, mining, and agriculture remain
the most important components of the regional economy, local
industry, usually science-based and research oriented, is becoming
an increasingly significant economic factor in the community.
Reno is the headquarters for the Sierra Nevada Section of the American Chemical Society.
Many of the faculty, students, and staff in the chemistry, biochemistry, and chemical engineering
departments, the Desert Research Institute, and scientists in local government and industry
are involved in local ACS activities.
15

Mario A. Alpuche
Assistant Professor
Analytical, Physical and Materials Chemistry
E-mail: malpuche@unr.edu
The development and application of electrochemical methods are the focus
or our research. We are interested in using these methods to solve problems
in analytical chemistry, energy conversion and corrosion.
Renewable energy sources can be utilized with electrochemical devices
such as fuel cells, batteries and dye-sensitized solar cells. We are interested
in studying the fundamental properties
of materials used for these applications to
explain observed trends in electrocatalytic
activity; we aim at using this knowledge to design new
materials for more efficient devices. We apply electrochemical
principles to study the thermodynamics and kinetics of
electron transfer reactions to correlate these with structure
and other properties of materials. We are interested in
developing new methods for the analysis of nanostructures,
films and bulk materials for their potential use in energy conversion, such as semiconductors for
harvesting solar energy and electrocatalysts for fuel cells (see Fig. 1).
Selected Publications
1. “Photoelectrochemistry studies of the band structure of Zn2SnO4 prepared by the hydrothermal
method,” Alpuche-Aviles, M.A.; Wu, Y. Journal of the American Chemical Society
2009, ASAP.
2. “Interrogation of surfaces for the quantification of adsorbed species on electrodes: Oxygen
on gold and platinum in neutral media,” Rodriguez Lopez, J.; Alpuche-Aviles, M.A.; Bard, A.J.
Journal of the American Chemical Society 2008, 130, 16985-16995.
3. “Cyclic voltammetry studies of Cd2+ and Zn2+ complexation with hydroxyl terminated
polyamidoamine generation 2 dendrimer at a mercury microelectrode,” Nepomnyashchii,
A.; Alpuche-Aviles, M.A.; Pan, S.; Zhan, D.; Fan, F.-R.; Bard, A.J. Journal of Electroanalytical
Chemistry 2008, 621, 286-296.
4. “Screening of oxygen evolution electrocatalysts by scanning electrochemical microscopy
using a tip shielding approach,” Minguzzi, A.; Alpuche-Aviles, M.A.; Rodriguez Lopez, J.; Rondinini,
S.; Bard, A.J. Analytical Chemistry 2008, 80, 4055-4064.
5. “Imaging of metal ion dissolution and electrodeposition by anodic stripping voltammetryscanning
electrochemical microscopy,” Alpuche-Aviles, M.A.; Baur, J.E.; Wipf, D.O. Analytical
Chemistry 2008, 80, 3612-3621.
6. “Scanning electrochemical microscopy. 59. Effect of defects and structure on electron transfer
through self-assembled monolayers,” Kiani, A.; Alpuche-Aviles, M.A.; Eggers, P.; Jones, M.;.
Gooding, J.J.; Paddon-Row, M.N.; Bard, A.J. Langmuir 2008, 24, 2841-2849.
7. “Selective insulation with polytetrafluoroethylene of substrate electrodes for electrochemical
background reduction in scanning electrochemical microscopy,” Rodriguez Lopez, J.;
Alpuche-Avilés, M.A.; Bard, A.J. Analytical Chemistry 2008, 80, 1813-1818.
8. “Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry - scanning electrochemical microscopy,” Luis Díaz-Ballote, L.;
Alpuche-Avilés, M.A.; Wipf, D.O. Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry 2007, 604, 17-25.
32 - Faculty
B.S. (Licenciatura, 1999) Autonomous University of
Yucatan; Ph.D. (2005), Mississippi State University
(David Wipf); Postdoctoral Fellow (2005-2007), The
University of Texas at Austin, Center for Electrochemistry
(Allen J. Bard), and (2007-2009) The Ohio State
University (Yiying Wu).

FRANK G. BAGLIN
Professor
Physical Chemistry; Chemical Physics
E-mail: baglin@unr.edu
16 - Faculty
B.S. (1963), Michigan State University; Ph.D. (1967),
Washington State University (E.L. Wagner); Postdoctoral
(1967-68), NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, University of South
Carolina (J.R. Durig); Alexander Van Humboldt Fellow
(1981-83), University of Dortmund (Heiner Versmold).
Generally, our interests focus on the electro-optical properties of supracritical
dense gases. Because of the supracritical property we can vary the density
with complete freedom without condensation taking place. This allows us to
probe the intermolecular potential of the system via interaction induced (ii)
Raman light scattering. The Raman spectral intensity, I, may be written as
I = 2 N 2 2 + 4 N 3 + N 4
where N is the number density and the m ij ’s are the induced spectral moments.
The N 3 term’s moments are negative so at high enough density
values the spectral intensity will begin to fall off sharply. Thus, the Raman ii
signal may be thought of as arising from local density fluctuations giving rise to transient local
field gradients.
Most recently, we have been investigating
neat methane and methane solution
spectra at supracritical conditions. We have
seen that the Raman depolarization ratios
(RDR) track the ultra-strong rotation-vibration
coupling (coriolis constant) in the methane
molecule. The RDR changes very rapidly
at elevated densities (pressure) indicating
changes in the intermolecular potential
function. Depending upon the molecules
surrounding the methane, the position of
the sigmoidal curves will shift reflecting the
inter-body potential change. In the figure above, frequency shifts are denoted by triangles and
the RDR data by squares.
Intermolecular Raman light scattering depends upon the electron polarizabilty between
molecules. As the molecules move the polarizability must change. Thus, as the molecular
motion fluctuates so does the polarizabilty. As a result, the polarizability tracks the molecular
positional fluctuations.
Selected Publications
1. “An interpretation of the solute-solvent interactions in supercritical binary fluids as monitored
by interaction-induced Raman light scattering,” Palmer, T.; Stanbery, W.; Baglin, F.G. J.
Mol. Liqs. 2000, 85, 153.
2. “Interaction-induced Raman light scattering as a probe of the local density of binary supercritical
solutions,” Baglin, F.G.; Murray, S.K.; Daugherty, J.E.; Palmer, T.E.; Stanbery, W. Mol. Phys.
2000, 98, 409.
3. “Interaction induced Raman light scattering studies of CH4
/H mixtures as a function of
2
density,” Baglin, F.G.; Sweitzer, S.; Friend, D.G. J. Phys. Chem. B 1997, 101, 8816-8822.
4. “Raman light scattering from supracritical binary fluid mixtures: CH4
/CF ” Baglin, F.G.;
4,
Sweitzer, S.; Stanbery, W.J. Chem. Phys. 1996, 105, 7285.
5. “Identification of 1, 2 and 3 body Raman scattering by the field gradient induced dipole A
tensor in methane,” Baglin, F.G.; Rose, E.J.; Sweitzer, S. Mol. Phys. 1995, 84, 115.

THOMAS W. BELL
Professor
Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry
E-mail: twb@unr.edu
Our research projects draw upon concepts and methods in synthetic and
physical organic chemistry, coordination chemistry, spectroscopy and structural
chemistry. The unifying theme is molecular devices: molecules that
are tailored to bind and sense other molecules, to act as switches or motors,
or to act as drugs interfering with biochemical processes.
We have made artificial receptors by fusing rings, particularly pyridine,
that can bind guest molecules by forming hydrogen bonds. These “hexagonal
lattice receptors” can be tailored to bind analytes of medical interest
and report their concentrations by an
optical response. Two examples are a
chromogenic reagent for measuring
blood creatinine, which is an indicator of
kidney function, and a fluorescent sensor
for bicarbonate ion.
Our third research area is aimed at
novel antiviral drugs. We have synthesized
a series of compounds, called
CADA analogs, that are active against
several viruses, including HIV. Our approach
to new drugs for AIDS is to synthesize
and test compounds designed
on the basis of proposed mechanisms of action.
Selected Publications
1. “Design and cellular kinetics of dansyl-labeled CADA derivatives with anti-HIV and CD4
receptor down-modulating activity,” Vermeire, K.; Lisco, A.; Grivel, J.-C.; Scarbrough, E.; Dey, K.;
Duffy, N.; Margolis, L.; Bell, T.W.; Schols, D. Biochemical Pharmacology 2007, 74, 566-578.
2. “Synthesis and structure-activity relationship studies of CD4 down-modulating cyclotriazadisulfonamide
(CADA) analogs,” Bell, T.W.; Anugu, S.; Bailey, P.; Catalano, V.J.; Dey, K.; Drew,
M.G.B.; Duffy, N.H.; Jin, Q.; Samala, M.F.; Sodoma, A.; Welch, W.H.; Schols, D.; Vermeire, K. J.
Med. Chem. 2006, 49, 1291-1312.
3. “A D2 symmetric tetraamide macrocycle based on 1,10,4,40-tetrahydro[3,30(2H,20H)spirobiquinoline]-2,20-dione:
Synthesis and selectivity for lithium over sodium and alkaline
earth ions,” Choi, H.-J.; Park, Y.S.; Kim, M.G.; Park, Y.J.; Yoon, N.S.; Bell, T.W. Tetrahedron 2006,
8696-8701.
4. “CD4-targeted HIV inhibitors,” Vermeire, K.; Schols, D.; Bell, T.W. Curr. Med. Chem. 2006, 13,
731-743.
5. “Syntheses, structures, and photoisomerization of ( E)- and (Z)-2-tert-butyl-9-(2,2,2)-triphenyethylidenefluorene,”
Barr, J.W.; Bell, T.W.; Catalano, V.J.; Cline, J.I.; Phillips, D.J.; Procupez, R. J.
Phys. Chem. 2005, A 109, 11650-11654.
6. “CD4 down-modulating compounds with potent anti-HIV activity,” Vermeire, K.; Schols, D.;
Bell, T.W. Curr. Pharmaceut. Design 2004, 10, 1795-1803.
17 - Faculty
B.S. (1974), California Institute of Technology; Ph.D.
(1980), University College, University of London (F.
Sondheimer); NIH Postdoctoral Fellow (1980-82),
Cornell University (J. Meinwald); Fellow of the
American Association for the Advancement of Science
(1995-present).

ANA de BETTENCOURT-DIAS
Associate Professor
Inorganic and Materials Chemistry
E-mail: abd@unr.edu
Our group is interested in the luminescent properties of lanthanide ion
complexes and of materials containing lanthanide ions, as well as the
coordination chemistry of the f elements. Lanthanide ions are utilized in
luminescence applications, as they display strong light emission with high
color purity. The emission is based on f-f transitions, which are spin- and parity
forbidden. Therefore, to efficiently populate the emissive excited state,
sensitizers or antennas are utilized. We synthesize and characterize new
antennas and study the photophysical properties of the new ligands and of
the corresponding lanthanide ion complexes.
The synthetic strategy followed in
our research group involves utilizing
thiophene in our ligands, which will
allow us to incorporate ligands of metal
complexes into organic polymers to
make luminescent films. The thiophene
group is derivatized with selected moieties
capable of coordinating lanthanide
ions and sensitizing their luminescence.
Comparison of the structure-properties
relationship of the synthesized ligands
and of the corresponding metal complexes
allows us to optimize our systems
for applications such as light-emitting
diodes.
Selected Publications
1. “Lanthanide-based emitting materials in light-emitting diodes,” de Bettencourt-Dias, A.
Dalton Trans. 2007, 2229-2241.
2. “Exploring lanthanide luminsecence in metal-organic frameworks: Synthesis, structure,
and guest sensitized luminescence of a mixed europium/terbium-adipate framework and
a terbium-adipate framework,” de Lill, D.T.; de Bettencourt-Dias, A.; Cahill, C.L. Inorg. Chem.
2007, 46, 3960-3965.
3. “Small molecule luminescent lanthanide ion complexes - Photophysical characterization
and recent developments,” de Bettencourt-Dias, A. Curr. Org. Chem. 2007, in press.
4. “Phenylthiophene-dipicolinic acid-based with strong solution blue and solid state green
emission,” de Bettencourt-Dias, A.; Poloukhtine, A. J. Phys. Chem. B 2006, 110, 25638-25645.
5. “Eu(III) and Tb(III) luminescence sensitized by thiophenyl-derivatized nitrobenzoato antennas,”
Viswanathan, S.; de Bettencourt-Dias, A. Inorg. Chem. 2006, 45, 10138-10146.
6. “Nitro-functionalization and quantum yield of Eu(III) and Tb(III) benzoic acid complexes,” de
Bettencourt-Dias, A.; Viswanathan, S. Dalton Trans. 2006, 4093-4103.
7. “2-Chloro-5-nitrobenzoato complexes of Eu(III) and Tb(III) - A 1 D coordination polymer and
enhanced solution luminescence,” Viswanathan, S.; de Bettencourt-Dias, A. Inorg. Chem.
Comm. 2006, 9, 444-448.
18 - Faculty
Licenciatura (1993), University of Lisbon, Portugal;
Dr. rer. nat. (1997), magna cum laude, University of
Cologne, Germany (T. Kruck); Gulbenkian Postdoctoral
Fellow (1998-2001), University of California,
Davis (A.L. Balch).

SEAN M. CASEY
Associate Professor
Physical and Surface Chemistry; Chemical Physics
E-mail: scasey@unr.edu
19 - Faculty
B.S. (1988), State University of New York, College at
Purchase; Ph.D. (1993), University of Minnesota (D.G.
Leopold); NRC-NIST Postdoctoral Fellow (1993-95)
and Postdoctoral (1995-97), JILA, University of
Colorado (S.R. Leone).
Our research is centered on the investigation of growth mechanisms of
semiconductor materials during processes such as plasma-enhanced chemical
vapor deposition (PECVD). To mimic these plasmas under more carefully
controlled conditions, we use a hyperthermal beam of the reactive species of
interest and single crystal semiconductor
wafers. Specifically,
we generate a variable energy
beam of mass-selected, reactive
atomic or molecular ions, with
energies in the 1 - 100 eV range, and use this as
the source of growth species. The interaction
of these species with clean, well characterized
semiconductor surfaces is then examined in an
ultrahigh vacuum environment (pictured below).
Mass spectrometry is used to examine the identity
of desorbing and scattered species and to provide
kinetic information about reactions occurring on
the surface. Low-energy electron diffraction and
Auger electron spectroscopy are used to examine
the crystallinity and composition of the resulting
surfaces. Results from such experiments allow for
a more complete understanding of the mechanisms
involved in reactive ion-surface interactions,
an area of great importance during these PECVD processes.
Selected Publications
1. “Gas phase chemomechanical modification of silicon,” Lee, M.V.; Richards, J.L.; Linford, M.R.;
Casey, S.M. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 2006, 24, 750-755.
2. “Molecularly designed chromonic liquid crystals for the fabrication of broad spectrum
polarizing materials,” Tam-Chang, S.-W.; Seo, W.; Rove, K.O.; Casey, S.M. Chem. Mater. 2004,
16, 1832-1834.
3. “Adsorption and thermal decomposition chemistry of 1-propanol and other primary alcohols
on the Si(100) surface,” Zhang, L.; Carman, A.J.; Casey, S.M. J. Phys. Chem. B 2003, 107,
8424-8432.
4. “Novel polarized photoluminescent films derived from sequential self-organization,
induced-orientation, and order transfer processes,” Carson, T.D.; Seo, W.; Tam-Chang, S.-W.;
Casey, S.M. Chem. Mater. 2003, 15, 2292-2294.
5. “Adsorption and thermal decomposition chemistry of 1-propanol and other primary alcohols
on the Si(100) surface,” Zhang, L.; Carman, A.J.; Casey, S.M. J. Phys. Chem. B 2003, 107,
8424-8432.
6. “Novel polarized photoluminescent films derived from sequential self-organization,
induced-orientation, and order transfer processes,” Carson, T.D.; Seo, W.; Tam-Chang, S.-W.;
Casey, S.M. Chem. Mater. 2003, 15, 2292-2294. [Communication]

VINCENT J. CATALANO
Professor and Chair
Inorganic Chemistry
E-mail: vjc@unr.edu
20 - Faculty
B.S. (1987), University of California, Santa Barbara;
Ph.D. (1991), University of California, Davis (A.L.
Balch); NSF Postdoctoral Fellow (1992-93), California
Institute of Technology (H.B. Gray).
Our research interests include the synthesis, structure, bonding and
optical properties of transition metal complexes. We are currently exploring
the application of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands as supports for
maintaining short metal-metal interactions between closed-shell ions,
particularly Au(I) and Ag(I). With these ligands we are able to prepare highly
luminescent, one-dimensional coordination polymers that contain very
short metal-metal separations. Perturbing this metal-metal separation either
through intercalation or coordination alters the emission properties making
these molecules ideally suited for applications as luminescent sensors.
Additionally, synthetically manipulating the
NHC backbone to include specific receptor
moieties, introduces selectivity for analyte
sensing. Receptors for nitro arenes as mimics
for explosives are or particular interest.
Additionally, the physical and optical
properties of discrete NHC bridged dimers
are being explored as models for the larger
extended polymeric systems.
All of these complexes are probed with a
variety of techniques including multinuclear
NMR, electronic absorption and emission
spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray
diffraction.
Selected Publications
1. “Preparation of Au(I), Ag(I), and Pd(II) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes utilizing a
methylpyridyl-substituted NHC ligand. Formation of a luminescent coordination polymer,”
Catalano, V.J.; Etogo, A.O. Inorg. Chem. 2007, 46, 5608-5615.
2. “Luminescent coordination polymers with extended Au(I)-Ag(I) interactions supported by
a pyridine substituted NHC ligand,” Catalano, V.J.; Etogo, A.O. J. Organomet. Chem. (Special
Carbene Issue) 2005, 690, 6041-6050.
3. “Mono-, di-, and trinuclear luminescent silver(I) and gold(I) N-heterocyclic carbene
complexes derived from the picolyl-substituted methylimidazolium salt: 1-methyl-3-(2pyridinylmethyl)-1H-imidazolium
tetrafluoroborate,” Catalano, V.J.; Moore, A.L. Inorg. Chem.
2005, 44, 6558-6566.
4. “Pyridine substituted N-heterocyclic carbene ligands as supports for Au(I)–Ag(I) interactions:
Formation of a chiral coordination polymer,” Catalano, V.J.; Malwitz, M.A.; Etogo, A.O. Inorg.
Chem. 2004, 43, 5714-5724.
5. “Mixed-metal metallocryptands. Short metal-metal separations stabilized by dipolar
interactions,” Catalano, V.J.; Malwitz, M.A. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 6560-6561.
6. “Metallocryptands: Host complexes for probing closed-shell metal-metal interactions,”
Catalano, V.J.; Bennett, B.L.; Malwitz, M.A.; Yson, R.L.; Kar, H.M.; Muratidis, S.; Horner, S.J.
Comments on Inorganic Chemistry 2003, 24, 24-68.

JOSEPH I. CLINE
Professor
Physical Chemistry; Chemical Physics
E-mail: cline@unr.edu
21 - Faculty
B.S. (1983), University of Virginia; Ph.D. (1988),
California Institute of Technology (K.C. Janda);
Postdoctoral (1988-90), JILA, University of Colorado
(S.R. Leone).
Research interests center around the
experimental investigation of inelastic
molecular collisions, vibrational
predissociation in weakly-bound
complexes, photodissociation of
molecules, and gas-phase chemical
kinetics. Molecular beam techniques
and time-of-flight mass spectrometry
detection are used in conjunction
with laser spectroscopic probes to study these chemical
processes with electronic, vibrational, rotational, and
translational quantum-state resolution. Experimental
measurements are interpreted using theoretical models
for these dynamic processes. Construction of realistic potential energy surfaces from dynamical
measurements on complex systems is one major goal of our research.
Selected Publications
2 1. “Ion imaging studies of product rotational alignment in collisions of NO (X Π1/2 , j=0.5) with
Ar,” Wade, E.A.; Lorenz, K.T.; Chandler, D.W.; Barr, J.W.; Barnes, G.L.; Cline, J.I. Chem. Phys. 2004,
301, 261-272.
2. “Ion Imaging Applied to the Study of Chemical Dynamics,” David W. Chandler and Joseph I.
Cline, in X. Yang and K. Liu, eds. Modern Trends In Chemical Reaction Dynamics, Part I: Experiment
and Theory Advanced Series in Physical Chemistry Vol. 14 (World Scientific: 2004), pgs.
61-104.
3. “Direct measurement of the binding energy of the NO dimer,” Wade, E.A.; Cline, J.I.; Lorenz,
K.T.; Hayden, C.; Chandler, D.W. J. Chem. Phys. 2002, 116, 4755-4757.
4. “Measurement of bipolar moments for photofragment angular correlations in ion imaging
experiments,” Nestorov, V.K.; Hinchliffe, R.D.; Uberna, R.; Cline, J.I.; Lorenz, K.T.; Chandler, D.W.
J. Chem. Phys. 2001, 115, 7881-7891.
5. “Ion imaging measurement of collision-induced rotational alignment in Ar-NO scattering,”
Cline, J.I.; Lorenz, K.T.; Wade, E.A.; Barr, J.W.; Chandler, D.W. J. Chem. Phys. 2001, 115,
6277-6280.
6. “Direct measurement of the preferred sense of NO rotation after collision with argon,”
Lorenz, K.T.; Chandler, D.W.; Barr, J.W.; Chen, W.; Barnes, G.L.; Cline, J.I. Science 2001, 293,
2063-2066.
7. “Determination of μ-v-j vector correlations in photodissociation experiments using 2+n
resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization with time-of-flight mass spectrometry detection,”
Pisano, P.J.; Cline, J.I. J. Chem. Phys. 2000, 112, 6190.
8. “Detection of ‘ended’ NO recoil in the 355 nm NO photodissociation mechanism,” Nestorov,
2
V.K.; Cline, J.I. J. Chem. Phys. 1999, 111, 5287-5290.
9. “Scalar and angular correlations in CF NO photodissociation: Statistical and nonstatistical
3
channels,” Spasov, J.S.; Cline, J.I. J. Chem. Phys. 1999, 110, 9568-9577.

KENT M. ERVIN
Professor
Physical and Analytical Chemistry; Chemical Physics
E-mail: ervin@unr.edu
22 - Faculty
B.S., B.A. (1981), University of Kansas; Ph.D. (1986),
University of California, Berkeley (P.B. Armentrout);
Postdoctoral (1986-90), JILA, University of Colorado
(W.C. Lineberger).
Tandem mass spectrometry techniques are used to study chemical systems
relevant to combustion kinetics and the dissociation dynamics of molecular
ions. Two custom-built tandem mass spectrometers have been developed
for these studies: a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer with a
magnetic sector initial mass spectrometer and a 2D quadrupole final mass
spectrometer, and a crossed ion beam/molecular beam apparatus with
a 3D quadrupole ion trap initial mass spectrometer and a time-of-flight
mass spectrometer for detection. Both systems allow the measurement of
ion-molecule reactions as a function of collision energy and time-resolved
examination of photodissociation processes.
In addition, laser-induced fluorescence studies
of ions may be conducted in the ion trap.
Current research focuses on the following
projects:
Proton transfer and hydrogen atom
transfer reactions of organic molecules are
used to investigate thermochemical properties
of hydrocarbon radicals important in
combustion kinetics and environmental
chemistry. Reaction threshold energies
measured with the guided ion beam mass
spectrometer can be related to the R-H bond
dissociation energies. Competitive threshold
collision-induced dissociation of protonbound
complex ions is used to measure
relative gas-phase acidities and proton affinities. Product velocity distributions are investigated
to probe microscopic reaction mechanisms and the energy disposal into vibrational and translational
degrees of freedom.
Selected Publications
1. “Gas-phase acidities and O-H bond dissociation enthalpies of phenol, 3-methylphenol,
2,4,6-trimethylphenol, and ethanoic acid,” Angel, L.A.; Ervin, K.M. J. Phys. Chem. A 2006, 110,
10392.
2. “Collision-induced dissociation of HS-(HCN): Unsymmetrical hydrogen bonding in a protonbound
dimer anion,” Akin, F.A.; Ervin, K.M. J. Phys. Chem. A 2006, 110, 1342.
3. “Threshold collision-induced dissociation of diatomic molecules: A case study of the ener-
- getics and dynamics of O collisions with Ar and Xe,” Akin, F.A.; Ree, J.; Ervin, K.M.; Shin, H.K.
2
J. Chem. Phys. 2005, 123, 064308.
4. “Systematic and random errors in ion affinities and activation entropies from the extended
kinetic method,” Ervin, K.M.; Armentrout, P.B. J. Mass Spectrom. 2004, 39, 1004-1015.
5. “Competitive threshold collision-induced dissociation: Gas-phase acidity and O-H bond dissociation
enthalpy of phenol,” Angel, L.A.; Ervin, K.M. J. Phys. Chem. A 2004, 108, 8346-8352.
6. “Gas-phase reactions of the iodide ion with chloromethane and bromomethane: Competition
between nucleophilic displacement and halogen abstraction,” Angel, L.A.; Ervin, K.M. J.
Phys. Chem. A 2004, 108, 9827-9833.

BRIAN J. FROST
Assistant Professor
Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry; Catalysis
E-mail: frost@unr.edu
23 - Faculty
B.S. (1995), Elizabethtown College; Ph.D. (1999),
Texas A&M University (D.J. Darensbourg); Postdoctoral
Research Associate (2000-02), Columbia University
(J.R. Norton).
Organometallic chemistry and catalysis remain exciting areas of research
with many opportunities for fundamental, not to mention pedagogical,
contributions. We are interested in the synthesis, structure, and reactivity of
inorganic and organometallic complexes with emphasis on those applicable
to catalysis. Our research program encompasses a wide range of interests
including: (1) green chemistry, (2) coordination chemistry, (3) catalysis in
aqueous, organic, and biphasic media, (4) kinetic and mechanistic studies of
catalytic processes, (5) small molecule activation, (6) ligand synthesis.
Currently our group is working on projects involving the synthesis and characterization of
new water-soluble phosphines, and exploring the catalytic activity of water-soluble inorganic
and organometallic complexes. We are also interested in utilizing carbon dioxide, or a CO 2
equivalent, as a C1 feedstock. We attempt to bring together aspects of inorganic, organic, and
organometallic chemistry. One of the projects currently underway in our laboratory involves
the synthesis of the water-soluble ruthenium hydride shown below and investigating its utility
as an aqueous-phase hydrogenation catalyst, and its reactivity with acids and bases.
Selected Publications
1. “Isomerization of trans-[Ru(PTA) Cl ] to cis-[Ru(PTA) Cl ] in water and organic solvent: Revisit-
4 2 4 2
ing the chemistry of [Ru(PTA) Cl ],” Mebi, C.A.; Frost, B.J. Inorg. Chem. 2007, 46, 7115-7120.
4 2
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
“pH dependent selective transfer hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated carbonyls in aqueous
media utilizing half-sandwich ruthenium (II) complexes,” Mebi, C.A.; Nair, R.P.; Frost, B.J. Organometallics
2007, 26, 429-438.
“Synthesis and coordination chemistry of a novel bidentate phosphine,
6-(diphenylphosphino)-1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA-PPh 2 ),” Wong, G.W.;
Harkreader, J.L.; Mebi, C.A.; Frost, B.J. Inorg. Chem. 2006, 45, 6748-6755.
“Manganese complexes of 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA): The first nitrogen
bound transition metal complex of PTA,” Frost, B.J.; Bautista, C.M.; Huang, R.; Shearer, J. Inorg.
Chem. 2006, 45, 3481-3483.
“Boron-nitrogen adducts of 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA): Synthesis, reactiv-
ity, and molecular structure,” Frost, B.J.; Mebi, C.A.; Gingrich, P.W. Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2006,
1182-1189.
“Effect of pH on the biphasic catalytic hydrogenation of benzylidene acetone using
CpRu(PTA) H,” Mebi, C.A.; Frost, B.J. Organometallics 2005, 24, 2339-2346.
2

Christopher S. Jeffrey
Assistant Professor
Organic, Bioorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry
Email:
Research in the Jeffrey laboratory is focused on addressing important,
unmet challenges in target directed synthesis. Areas of research are
identified using a synergistic approach where (1) inspiration from structurally
and biologically interesting molecular targets drives reaction
discovery, and (2) innovation in methodology enables new strategies
for target-directed synthesis.
Some preliminary areas of research in our laboratory are focused on
the development of new methods/strategies to generate and control
electrophilic nitrogen species that will enable the direct functionalization of alkenes and
C-H bonds-the two most ubiquitous functional groups in organic molecules. These research
interests are focused on the development of: (i) new hetero-cycloaddition reactions, (ii) a
concise and general synthesis of a family of biologically active alkaloids, and (iii) new methods
of metal-mediated amination.
Selected Publications
1. “Dynamic Kinetic Resolution During a Vinylogous Payne Rearrangement: A Concise
Synthesis of the Polar Pharmacophoric Subunit of (+)-Scyphostatin,” Hoye, T.R.; Jeffrey, C.S.;
Nelson, D.P. Org. Lett. 2010, 12, 52–55.
2. “A Hypervalent Iodine-Induced Double Annulation Enables a Concise Synthesis of the
Pentacyclic Core Structure of the Cortistatins,” Frie, J.L.; Jeffrey, C.S.; Sorensen, E.J. Org. Lett.
2009, 11, 5394–5397.
3. “Mosher Ester Analysis for the Determination of Absolute Configuration of Stereogenic
(a.k.a. Chiral) Carbinol Carbons,” Hoye, T.R.; Jeffrey, C.S.; Shao, F. Nature Protocols 2007, 2,
2451-2458.
4. “The Structure Determination of the Sulfated Steroids PSDS and PADS – New Components
of the Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) Migratory Pheromone,” Hoye, T.R.; Dvornikovs,
V.; Fine, J.M.; Anderson, K.R.; Jeffrey, C.S.; Muddiman, D.C.; Shao, F.; Sorensen, P.W.; Wang, J. J.
Org. Chem. 2007, 72, 7544-7550.
5. “Student Empowerment through ‘Mini-Microscale’ Reactions: The Epoxidation of 1.0 mg of
Geraniol,” Hoye, T.R.; Jeffrey, C.S. J. Chem. Educ. 2006, 83, 919-920.
6. “Mixture of New Sulfated Steroids Functions as a Migratory Pheromone in the Sea Lamprey,”
Sorensen, P.W.; Fine, J.M.; Dvornikovs, V.; Jeffrey, C.S.; Shao, F.; Wang, J.; Vrieze, L.A.;
Anderson, K.R.; Hoye, T.R. Nature Chem. Biol. 2005, 1, 324-328.
7. “Relay Ring-Closing Metathesis (RRCM): A Strategy for Directing Metal Movement Throughout
Olefin Metathesis Sequences,” Hoye, T.R.; Jeffrey, C.S.; Tennakoon, M.A.; Wang, J.; Zhao,
H. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 10210-10211.
33 - Faculty
B.S. (2002), Carroll College; Ph.D. (2007), University
of Minnesota (Thomas R. Hoye); Postdoctoral Fellow
(2007-2010), Princeton University (Erik J. Sorensen).

BENJAMIN T. KING
Associate Professor
Organic Chemistry
E-mail: king@unr.edu
24 - Faculty
B.S. (1992), Northeastern University; Ph.D. (2000),
University of Colorado (J. Michl); NIH Postdoctoral
Fellow (2000-02), University of California, Berkeley
(R.G. Bergman).
Our research focuses on the preparation of molecules that might someday
serve as useful materials. The approach is to design synthetic targets using
computational chemistry, prepare them by chemical synthesis, and then
study their properties and behavior.
The benzenoid unit is a particularly versatile building block for nanostructures,
as demonstrated by graphite, fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes. We
are interested in constructing benzenoid nanostructures using controlled organic
synthesis instead of the normal high temperature arc discharge methods.
Two of our molecular targets are shown below. The short nanotubes
might nucleate the growth
of longer nanotubes and the
extended helicenes might serve
as molecular actuators.
Since the incorporation of
fluorine into molecules often
confers unusual properties, such
as high stability (e.g., Teflon®) or
the ability to attain high oxidation
states (e.g., XeF 2 ), the preparation of highly fluorinated nanostructures is another goal. Our
initial targets are perfluorinated fullerenes, which are expected to be good electron acceptors.
This work is safely carried out in specialized vacuum manifolds.
Selected Publications
1. “Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by ring closing metathesis,” Bonifacio, M.C.; Robertson,
C.R.; Jung, J.-Y.; King, B.T. J. Org. Chem. 2005, 70, 8522-8526.
2. “A slippery slope: Mechanistic analysis of the intramolecular Scholl reaction of hexaphenylbenzene,”
Rempala, P.; Kroulík, J.; King, B.T. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 15002-15003.
3. “Clar valence bond representation of π-bonding in carbon nanotubes,” Ormsby, J.; King, B.T.
J. Org. Chem. 2004, 69, 4287-4291. (Cover feature).
4. “Alkylated carborane anions and radicals,” King, B. T.; Zharov, I.; Michl, J. Chemical Innovation
2001, 31, 23-29.
5. “Preparation of [ closo-CB H ] 11 12 - by dichlorocarbene insertion into [nido-B H ] 11 14 - ,” Franken, A.;
King, B.T.; Rudolph, J.; Rao, P.; Noll, B.C.; Michl, J. Collection of Czechoslovak Chemical Communications
2001, 66, 1238-1249.
6. “LiCB11Me
: A catalyst for pericyclic rearrangements,” Moss, S.; King, B.T.; de Meijere, A.;
12
Kozhushkov, S.I.; Eaton, P.E.; Michl, J. Organic Letters 2001, 3, 2375-2377.
7. “The explosive ‘inert’ anion,CB11
(CF3 ) 8.
- ,” King, B.T.; Michl, J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 10255.
12
“Crystal structure of n-Bu Sn 3 + -, CB Me ” Zharov, I.; King, B.T.; Havlas, Z.; Pardi, A.; Michl, J. J. Am.
11 12
Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 10253-10254.
9.
+ - “Cation-π interactions in the solid state: Crystal structures of M (benzene)2CB Me (M = Tl,
11 12
Cs, Rb, K, Na) and Li + - (toluene)CB Me ,” King, B.T.; Noll, B.C.; Michl, J. Collection of Czechoslo-
11 12
vak Chemical Communications 1999, 64, 1001-1012.

DAVID M. LEITNER
Associate Professor
Theoretical and Biophysical Chemistry; Chemical Physics
E-mail: dml@unr.edu
B.S. (1985), Cornell University; Ph.D. (1989), The
University of Chicago (R.S. Berry); Postdoctoral (1990),
25 - Faculty
Brown University (J.D. Doll); NSF Postdoctoral Fellow
(1991-1993); Alexander von Humboldt Fellow (1993-
94), Universität Heidelberg (L.S. Cederbaum); Research
Associate (1994-98), University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign (P.G. Wolynes); Assistant Project Scientist
(1998-2000), UC San Diego.
How energy flows within a molecule mediates the rate at which it reacts
both in gas and condensed phases. We are developing theories describing
quantum mechanical energy flow in molecules, and applying them to
predict rates of conformational change, such as the prototypical chair-boat
isomerization of cyclohexane, as well as photoisomerization of stilbene, a reaction
that in many ways serves as a prototype for the initial event in vision.
We are also exploring how energy flows in rather large molecules, on the
mesoscopic scale, such as proteins or crystalline nanostructures. An understanding
of how these objects conduct heat is valuable for emerging nanotechnologies, in
addition to describing the role of heat flow during chemical reactions in mesoscopic environments.
Rate theories developed for chemical reactions can also be usefully applied to describe the
mobility of proteins in
cells. We are examining
models for transport
of proteins in the
membranes of cells,
such as receptors or
channels, that account
for dynamical barriers
to transport. In the
red blood cell, for
example, fluctuations
in the structure of the
membrane skeleton, largely responsible for the red blood cell’s remarkable elasticity, strongly
influences the mobility of proteins spanning the red blood cell membrane.
Selected Publications
1. “Energy flow in proteins,” Leitner, D.M. Ann. Rev. Phys. Chem. 2008, 59, in press.
2. “Quantum energy flow and the kinetics of water shuttling between hydrogen bonding
sites on trans-formanilide,” Agbo, J.K.; Leitner, D.M.; Myshakin, E.M.; Jordan, K.D. J. Chem. Phys.
2007, 127, art. 064315, pp. 1-10.
3. “Biomolecule large amplitude motion and solvation dynamics: Modeling and probes
from THz to X-rays,” Leitner, D.M.; Havenith, M.; Gruebele, M. Int. Rev. Phys. Chem. 2006, 25,
553-582.
4. “Thermal conductivity computed for vitreous silica and methyl-doped silica above the
plateau,” Yu, X.; Leitner, D.M. Phys. Rev. B 2006, 74, art. 184305, pp. 1-11.
5. “Influence of vibrational energy flow on isomerization of flexible molecules: Incorporating
non-RRKM kinetics in the simulation of dipeptide isomerization,” Agbo, J.K.; Leitner, D.M.;
Evans, D.A.; Wales, D.J. J. Chem. Phys. 2005, 123, 1-8.
6. “Thermal transport coefficients for liquid and glassy water computed from a harmonic
aqueous glass,” Yu, X.; Leitner, D.M. J. Chem. Phys. 2005, 123, art. no. 104503, pp. 1-10.
7. “Heat flow in proteins: Computation of thermal transport coefficients,” Yu, X.; Leitner, D.M. J.
Chem. Phys. 2005, 122, art. no. 054902, pp. 1-11.

DAVID A. LIGHTNER
R.C. Fuson Professor
Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry
E-mail: lightner@scs.unr.edu
26 - Faculty
A.B. (1960), University of California at Berkeley;
Ph.D. (1963), Stanford University (C. Djerassi); NSF
Postdoctoral Fellow (1963-64), Stanford University
(C. Djerassi) and (1964-65), University of Minnesota
(A. Moscowitz); Foundation Professor, University of
Nevada, Reno (1987-90).
Current research is directed toward synthesis, stereochemistry, molecular recognition
and photochemistry, with an emphasis on (i) dipyrrole and tetrapyrrole
synthetic analogs of bilirubin, the yellow pigment of jaundice; (ii) organic
conformational analysis from circular dichroism and NMR spectroscopy; (iii)
photobiology, molecular mechanisms of phototherapy for neonatal jaundice,
bilirubin metabolism,
pyrrole chemistry
and photochemistry,
photooxidation and
singlet oxygen; (iv) chiral molecular recognition;
(v) chiroptical properties and
electronic interaction of non-adjacent
chromophores, long-range interactions;
(vi) exciton interactions in organic and
biological systems as detected by circular
dichroism; and (vii) stereochemistry
of cyclic ketones and the Octant Rule.
Selected Publications
1. “Amphiphilic dipyrrinones,” Dey, S.K.; Lightner, D.A. Monatsh. Chem. 2007, 138, 687-697.
2. “Converting 9-methyldipyrrinones to 9-H and 9-CHO dipyrrinones,” Boiadjiev, S.E.; Lightner,
D.A. Tetrahedron 2007, 63, 8962-8976.
3. “Influence of conformation on intramolecular hydrogen bonding on the acyl glucuronidation
and biliary excretion of acetylenic bis-dipyrrinones related to bilirubin,” McDonagh, A.F.;
Lightner, D.A. J. Med. Chem. 2007, 50, 480-488.
4. “Synthesis and hepatic metabolism of xanthobilirubinic acid regioisomers,” Boiadjiev,
S.E.; Conley, B.A.; Brower, J.O.; McDonagh, A.F.; Lightner, D.A. Monatsh. Chem. 2006, 137,
1463-1476.
5. “Carboxylic acid to amide hydrogen bonding. Oxo-semirubins,” Salzameda, N.T.; Huggins,
M.T.; Lightner, D.A. Tetrahedron 2006, 62, 8610-8619.
6. “Synthesis, properties, and hepatic metabolism of strongly fluorescent fluorodipyrrinones,”
Boiadjiev, S.E.; Woydziak, Z.R.; McDonagh, A.F.; Lightner, D.A. Tetrahedron 2006, 62,
7043-7055.
7. “Exciton chirality: (A) Origins of and (B) Applications from strongly-fluorescent dipyrrinone
chromophores,” Boiadjiev, S.E.; Lightner, D.A. Monatsh. Chem. 2005, 136, 489-508.
8. “Synthesis and hepatic transport of strongly fluorescent cholephilic dipyrrinones,” Woydziak,
Z.R.; Boiadjiev, S.E.; Norona, W.S.; McDonagh, A.F.; Lightner, D.A. J. Org. Chem. 2005, 70,
8417-8423.
9. “pKa and aggregation of bilirubin: Titrimetric and ultracentrifugation studies on water-soluble
pegylated conjugates of bilirubin and fatty acids,” Boiadjiev, S.E.; Watters, K.; Lai, B.; Wolf,
S.; Welch, W.; McDonagh, A.F.; Lightner, D.A. Biochemistry 2004, 43, 15617-15632.
10. “The gem-dimethyl effect: Amphiphilic bilirubins,” Tu, B.; Ghosh, B.; Lightner, D.A. Tetrahedron
2004, 60, 9017-9029.

JASON SHEARER
Assistant Professor
Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Bioorganic Chemistry
E-mail: shearer@unr.edu
27 - Faculty
B.S. (1998), University of Maryland, College Park;
Ph.D. (2001), University of Washington (J.A. Kovacs);
NIH Postdoctoral Fellow (2002-04), Johns Hopkins
University (K.D. Karlin)
Many of life’s most important processes are performed by metalloproteins.
Metalloproteins are proteins that contain one or more metal cofactors at
their active-sites, and can be thought of as the ultimate transition metal
complex. The ligand environment about the metal-center in a metalloprotein
is often characterized by low symmetry, an unusual coordination
geometry, and unique metal-ligand bonding. Therefore, many of the fine
details concerning how interactions between the primary and secondary
coordination sphere and the metal ion contribute to the metalloproteins
physical properties and function in many metalloproteins remain unclear.
To understand these complex and fascinating systems the Shearer group utilizes a multi-tiered
approach. We first start by considering the relevant information concerning the metalloprotein
in question and design and
prepare small transition metal
complexes and metallopeptides
based on the active-site of the
metalloprotein. These metalloprotein
synthetic analogues
are then subjected to a detailed
spectroscopic and computational
analysis. Finally the information
acquired from these
studies are applied back to the
metalloprotein. Further studies
on the metalloprotein then aid
in refining future generations
of the synthetic analogues, and
the whole process is repeated.
Current areas of focus in the
Shearer group concern: the
biological chemistry of nickel containing metalloproteins, the interaction between copper ions
and proteins involved in neurodegenerative disorders, and the biological chemistry of sulfur
and selenium containing proteins.
Selected Publications
1. “The Cu(II) adduct of the unstructured region of the amyloidogenic fragment derived from
the human prion protein is redox active at physiological pH,” Shearer, J.; Soh, P. Inorg. Chem.
2007, 46, 710-719.
2. “The influence of amine/amide vs. bis-amide coordination in nickel superoxide dismutase,”
Neupane, K.P.; Shearer, J. Inorg. Chem. 2006, 45, 10552-10566.
3. “[Me4N](NiII
(BEAAM)): A synthetic model for nickel superoxide dismutase that contains Ni in
a mixed amine/amide coordination environment,” Shearer, J.; Zhao, N. Inorg. Chem. 2006,
45, 9637-9639.
4. “A nickel superoxide dismutase maquette that reproduces the spectroscopic and functional
properties of the metalloenzyme,” Shearer, J.; Long, L.M. Inorg. Chem. 2006, 45, 2358-2360.

ROBERT S. SHERIDAN
Professor
Organic Chemistry
E-mail: rss@unr.edu
28 - Faculty
B.S. (1974), Iowa State University; Ph.D. (1979),
University of California, Los Angeles (O.L. Chapman), NSF
Predoctoral Fellow; NIH Postdoctoral Fellow (1979-80),
Yale University (J.A. Berson); Foundation Professor,
University of Nevada, Reno (2001-03).
Our research revolves around highly reactive organic molecules. These
unstable and elusive intermediates, such as carbenes, nitrenes, and biradicals,
are especially important in photochemistry, but their chemistry and
properties are poorly understood. Moreover, these molecules are related
to searches for organic conducting and magnetic materials. Much of the
organic synthesis that we carry out involves making previously unknown
compounds, and we spend a considerable amount of our time developing
new synthetic methods to tackle these challenging molecules. A specialized
technique that we use to study
reaction intermediates involves matrix isolation
photochemistry. In this method, organic molecules
are frozen into glasses of inert gas at extremely
low temperatures (10 K). The samples are
then irradiated with UV light to generate highly
reactive intermediates. The low temperatures
and high dilution in inert surroundings protect
these otherwise unstable species from reaction.
IR and UV spectra of the samples, acquired at low
temperature, tell us a great deal about the bonding
and structures of the products. Finally, we
carry out a variety of ab initio and DFT electronic
structure calculations to model the structures,
spectra, and electronics of these novel molecules.
Our recent work has focused on three major
areas: (1) investigations of carbenes important
in biological photoaffinity labeling, (2) highly strained organic molecules, and (3) quantum
mechanical tunneling in reactive intermediates.
Selected Publications
1. “Quantum mechanical tunneling in organic reactive intermediates,” Sheridan, R.S., in Reviews
in Reactive Intermediate Chemistry, R.A. Moss, M.S. Platz, and M.J. Jones, Jr., Ed., John Wiley &
Sons, 2007, pp 415 – 463.
2. “A singlet aryl-CF carbene: 2-Benzothienyl(trifluoromethyl)carbene and interconversion
3
with a strained cyclic allene,” Wang, J.; Sheridan, R.S. Org. Lett. 2007, 9, 3177 – 3180.
3. “Conformational product control in the low-temperature photochemistry of cyclopropylcarbenes,”
Zuev, P.S.; Sheridan, R.S.; Sauers, R.R.; Moss, R.A.; Chu, G. Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 4963.
4. “Kinetic studies of the cyclization of singlet vinylchlorocarbenes,” Moss, R.A.; Tian, J.; Sauers,
R.R.; Sheridan, R.S.; Bhakta, A.; Zuev, P.S. Org. Lett. 2005, 7, 4645.
5. “Geometry and aromaticity in highly strained heterocyclic allenes: Characterization of a
2,3-didehydro-2H-thiopyran,” Nikitina, A.; Sheridan, R.S. Org. Lett. 2005, 7, 4467.
6. “Activation energies for the 1,2-carbon migration of ring-fused cyclopropylchlorocarbenes,”
Chu, G.; Moss, R.A.; Sauers, R.R.; Sheridan, R.S.; Zuev, P.S. Tetrahedron Lett. 2005, 46, 4137.
7. “Singlet Vinylcarbenes: Spectroscopy and Photochemistry,” Zuev, P. S.; Sheridan, R. S. J. Am.
Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 12220.

SUK-WAH TAM-CHANG
Professor
Organic and Materials Chemistry; Biosensors
E-mail: tchang@unr.edu
29 - Faculty
B.S. (1983), University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;
Ph.D. (1992), University of California, Los Angeles (F.
Diederich); Postdoctoral Fellow (1992-93) and NIH
Postdoctoral Fellow (1994), Harvard University (G.M.
Whitesides).
An important goal of our research is to increase our basic knowledge of the
relationships between molecular structure, supramolecular interactions,
phase behavior, molecular orientation, and physical properties of organic
compounds in the liquid-crystalline state and in the solid state. We are
particularly interested in the synthesis and studies of liquid-crystalline compounds
that exhibit dichroic properties (direction-dependent absorption
of light) and fluorescence emission at long wavelengths. Dichroic dyes and
fluorophores can potentially be used as sensing probes in biological studies
and as polarizing materials in liquid-crystal displays (LCDs). In addition, long
wavelength absorbing materials can potentially be used in optical applications in conjunction
with commercially available AlGaAs lasers that emit at 780 nm. Near-infrared (NIR) absorbing
and emitting dyes have potential use in high-technology applications such as optical recording,
thermally-written displays, laser printers, laser filters, infrared photography, and fiber-optic
communications.
Micro- and nano-patterned organic semiconducting materials have potential applications
in the field of microelectronics, where the direction-dependent orientation of the molecules in
these materials can enhance their semiconducting properties. In addition, patterned anisotropic
(direction-dependent) materials have potential applications as angle-dependent optical
materials, holographic films, and in stereoscopic displays. These organic materials may also
have useful photonic and optoelectronic properties. A wide range of methods is available for
the micro- and nano-patterning of isotropic (direction-independent) materials including scanning
probe techniques, electron-beam lithography, photolithography, and soft-lithography.
However, techniques for the micro-fabrication of anisotropic organic materials is presently
limited to approaches that employ either uniaxially stretched polymer films or photo-alignment
techniques. Our research group is interested in the micro- and nano-fabrication of anisotropic
organic materials by template-guided organization of chromonic liquid crystals.
Biosensors are devices interfaced with biological detector molecules for identifying specific
target analytes. Biosensors have applications that range from medical diagnostics to environmental
analysis. Our current interest focuses on the research and development of biosensors
for detecting unlabeled nucleic acids.
Selected Publications
1. “Microfabrication of anisotropic organic materials via self-organization of an ionic perylenemonoimide,”
Huang, L.; Tam-Chang, S.-W.; Seo, W.; Rove, K. Adv. Mater. 2007 [Communication]
(Accepted).
2. “Stem-loop probe with universal reporter for sensing unlabeled nucleic acids,” Tam-Chang,
S.-W.; Carson, T.D.; Huang, L.; Publicover, N.G.; Hunter, K.W., Jr. Anal. Biochem. 2007, 326,
126-130.
3. “Anisotropic fluorescent materials via self-organization of perylenedicarboximide,” Huang, L.;
Catalano, V.J.; Tam-Chang, S.-W. Chem. Commun. 2007, 2016-2018. [Communication]
4. “Template-guided organization of chromonic liquid crystals into micropatterned anisotropic
organic solids,” Tam-Chang, S.-W.; Helbley, J.; Carson, T.D.; Seo, W.; Iverson, I.K. Chem.
Commun. 2006, 503-505. [Communication]

SARAH A. CUMMINGS
Lecturer and Organic Chemistry
Coordinator
Chemical Education
E-mail: sac@unr.edu
B.S. (2001), Haverford College; Ph.D.
(2006), Columbia University (J.R. Norton); Postdoctoral
(2006-2007), University of Utah (M.S. Sigman).
Dr. Cummings is involved in developing and
upgrading the Organic Chemistry Laboratory
program, and in the supervision and training
of laboratory teaching assistants. In addition
to overseeing the laboratory program, she
also teaches General Chemistry and Organic
Chemistry.
Selected Publications
1. “An estimate of the reduction potential of
B(C F ) from electrochemical measurements on
6 5 3
related mesityl boranes,” Cummings, S.A.; Iimura,
M.; Harlan, C.J.; Kwaan, R.J.; vu Trieu, I.; Norton,
J.R.; Bridgewater, B.M.; Jakle, F.; Sundararaman, A.;
Tilset, M. Organometallics 2006, 1595-1598.
2 2. “Formation of a dynamic η (O,N)hydroxylaminato
zirconocene complex by
Nitrosoarene insertion into a ZrC σ-bond,” Cummings,
S.A.; Radford, R.; Erker, G.; Kehr, G.; Fröhlich,
R. Organometallics 2006, 839-842.
GARRY N. FICKES
Distinguished Research Professor
Organic Chemistry
E-mail: fickes@unr.edu
B.S. (1960), University of California
at Davis; Ph. D. (1965), University
of Wisconsin (H.L. Goering); Postdoctoral (1965-66)
Harvard University (P.D. Bartlett).
My research interests are in organic synthesis
and reaction mechanisms. Recent synthetic
work is in the areas of polycyclic ring systems,
polymers with special optical properties, and
photochemically reactive chiral compounds.
Selected Publications
1. “Synthesis of soluble, substituted silane high
polymers by Wurtz coupling techniques,” Miller,
R.D.; Fickes, G.N.; Thompson, D.T. J. Polym. Sci.,
Polym. Chem. Ed. 1991, 29, 813.
2. “Block interrupt polysilane derivatives,” Miller, R.D.;
Fickes, G.N. J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Chem. Ed. 1990,
28, 1397.
SÉSI M. MCCULLOUGH
Lecturer and General Chemistry
Coordinator
Chemical Education
E-mail: smm@unr.edu
B.A. (1986), California State
University, Sacramento; Ph.D. (1992), University of
California, Davis (C. Lebrilla); Postdoctoral (1992-
1993), Beckman Research Institute, Duarte, California
(T. Lee).
Dr. McCullough is involved in developing and
upgrading the General Chemistry Laboratory
program, and in the supervision and training
of laboratory teaching assistants. In addition
to overseeing the laboratory program, she
also teaches General Chemistry and Analytical
Chemistry.
CHARLES B. ROSE
Associate Professor
Organic Chemistry
E-mail: crose@unr.edu
B.S. (1960), Brigham Young University;
M.A. (1963), Ph.D. (1966),
Harvard University (R.B. Woodward); Postdoctoral
Fellow (1966), Harvard University (R.B. Woodward).
Current projects include synthesis and
determination of physical properties of the
macrocyclic tetrapyrrole salts of the tetrabenzoporphyrin
system. We are also studying the
isolation and structure elucidation of natural
products from marine sources.
32 - Lecturers, Distinguished, and Emeritus Faculty

Selected Publications
1. “New polychlorinated amino acid derivatives
from the marine sponge Dysidea herbacea,”
Unson, M.D.; Rose, C.B.; Faulkner, D.J.; Brinen,
L.S.; Steiner, J.R.; Clardy, J. J. Org. Chem. 1993, 58,
6336.
2. “5-epi-Ilimiquinone, a metabolite of the sponge
Fenestraspongia Sp.,” Carté, B.; Rose, C.B.;
Faulkner, D.J. J. Org. Chem. 1985, 50, 2785.
SCOTT W. WAITE
Administrative Faculty
Director of Laboratories
E-mail: waites@unr.edu
B.S. (1988), University of Arizona;
Ph.D. (1993), University of Utah (J.
Harris); Procter and Gamble (1993-1998); Huntsman
Corporation (1998-2003); MPR Services (2003-2005).
Dr. Waite teaches courses in analytical chemistry
and is responsible for the general physical
facilities of the chemistry department including
planning and operation of facilities, financial
planning and budgeting, planning and
coordination of renovation and maintenance
of facilities, and long range planning of space
needs. He prepares the class schedules for
instructional and laboratory programs including
the AP chemistry laboratory program. He
is the Departmental Safety Officer responsible
for the administration of the Chemical
Hygiene Plan, Hazardous Materials Disposal
Program, the Emergency Response Plan, and
the Student Safety Policy, and he serves as the
Departmental Emergency Coordinator. Dr.
Waite also supervises the classified technical
staff and stockroom supervisors.
Selected Publications
1. “Assessment of alcohol ethoxylate surfactants
and fatty alcohol mixtures in river sediments
and prospective risk assessment,” Dyer, S.D.;
Sanderson, H.; Waite, S.W.; Van Compernolle, R.;
Price, B.; Nielsen, A.M.; Evans, A.; Decarvalho, A.J.;
Hooton, D.J; Sherren, A.J. Environ. Monit. Assess.
2006, 120, 45.
2. “Occurrence and hazard screening of alkyl sulfates
and alkyl ethoxysulfates in river sediments,”
Sanderson, H.; Price, B.B.; Dyer, S.D.; DeCarvalho,
A.J.; Robaugh, D.; Waite, S.W.; Morrall, S.W.;
Nielsen, A.M.; Cano, M.L.; Evans, K.A. Sci. Tot. Env.
2006, 367, 312.
3. “Corrosion and corrosion enhancers in amine
systems,” Cummings, A.L.; Waite, S.W.; Nelson, D.K.
Proceedings of the Brimstone Sulfur Conference,
Banff, Alberta, 2005.
33 - Lecturers, Distinguished, and Emeritus Faculty
RICHARD D. BURKHART
Professor Emeritus
Physical Chemistry; Chemical
Physics
A.B. (1956), Dartmouth College;
Ph.D. (1960), University of Colorado.
Our research is centered upon photophysical
processes involving pure and molecularly
doped polymers. Since polymers are
potentially useful materials for optoelectronic
devices or solar energy applications, characterization
of their light-induced properties
is of considerable interest both in the solid
state and in solution. We use high powered
excimer lasers or tunable dye lasers as the
excitation source and luminescence spectra
are recorded using diode arrays.
Selected Publications
1. “Some photophysical properties of electronically
excited phenldibenzophosphole in rigid
polymer matrices,” Ganguly, T.; Burkhart, R.D. J.
Phys. Chem. A 1997, 101, 5633-5639.
2. “Triplet energy migration in poly(4-methacryloylbenzophenone-co-methyl
methacrylate) films:
Temperature dependence and chromophore
concentration dependence,” Tsuchida, A.; Yamamoto,
M.; Liebe, W.R.; Burkhart, R.D.; Tsubakiyama,
K. Macromolecules 1996, 29, 1589-1594.

KENNETH C. KEMP
Professor Emeritus
Organic Chemistry
E-mail: kempistry@aol.com
B.S. (1950), Northwestern University;
Ph.D. (1956), Illinois Institute of
Technology (M.L. Bender).
The effects of neighboring groups on reactions
of derivatives of carboxylic acids are
of interest. Examples include accelerating
effects of the carbonyl group in the alkaline
hydrolysis of gamma-keto esters and of the
carboxylate group in the solvolysis of gammabromophenylacetates.
The scope and
sythetic utility of intramolecular Friedel-Crafts
acylation of alkenes are also of interest. By
studying the structure and stereochemistry of
the cyclization products from acid chlorides, it
is hoped that a clearer insight into the nature
of the reaction will emerge.
Selected Publications
1. “A novel, simple, and inexpensive model for
teaching VSEPR theory,” Kemp, K.C. J. Chem. Educ.
1988, 65, 222.
2. “Writing chemical equations. Introductory
experiment,” LeMay, H.E., Jr.; Kemp, K.C. J. Chem.
Educ. 1975, 52, 121
H. EUGENE LEMAY, JR.
Professor Emeritus
Inorganic Chemistry; Chemical
Education
E-mail: lemay@unr.edu
B.S. (1962), Pacific Lutheran University;
M.S. (1964), Ph.D. (1966), University of Illinois
(J.C. Bailar).
I am greatly interested in chemical education
and are involved in textbook development
both as a author and as a consultant. Two
textbooks that I have coauthored are widely
used in college and high school courses:
Chemistry: the Central Science, a gen-
eral chemistry textbook that is also used in
advanced-placement courses in high schools,
and Chemistry: Connections to our Changing
World, a high-school text.
Selected Publications
1. Chemistry: The Central Science,
9th ed., Theodore
L. Brown, H. Eugene LeMay, Jr., Bruce E. Bursten,
and Julia R. Burdge (Prentice Hall, Englewood
Cliffs, NJ, 2003).
2. Chemistry: Connections to Our Changing World, H.
Eugene LeMay, Jr., Herbert Beall, Karen M. Robblee,
and Douglas C. Brower (Prentice Hall, Upper
Saddle River, NJ, 1996).
3. “Solid-phase thermal isomerization of
dicarbonyldichlorobis(tertiary phosphine)
ruthenium and carbonyldichlorotris(tertiary
phosphine)ruthenium complexes,” Krassowski,
D.W.; Reimer, K.; LeMay, H.E., Jr.; Nelson, J.H. Inorg.
Chem. 1988, 27, 4307-9.
JOHN H. NELSON
Professor Emeritus
Inorganic Chemistry
E-mail: jhnelson@unr.edu
B.S. (1964), Ph.D. (1968), University
of Utah (R.O. Ragsdale); Postdoctoral
(1968-70), Tulane University (H.B. Jonassen).
Research interests include the synthesis,
physical properties, structure, reactions and
catalytic properties of coordination and
organometallic compounds. We have been
pursuing four avenues of research: (1) Structure,
dynamics, and bonding in Pd(II) and
Pt(II) complexes. (2) Reactions of coordinated
ligands, particularly phosphines and arsines.
(3) Solid state NMR spectroscopy. (4) Asymmetric
homogeneous catalysis.
Selected Publications
1. “Phosphaallyl complexes of Ru(II) derived from
dicyclohexylvinylphosphine (DCVP),” Duraczynska,
D.; Nelson, J.H. Dalton Trans. 2005, 92-103.
2.
“Reactions of ruthenium(II) tris(pyrazolyl)borate
34 - Lecturers, Distinguished, and Emeritus Faculty

and tris(pyrazolyl)methane complexes with
diphenylvinylphosphine and 3,4-dimethyl-1phenylphosphole,”
Wilson, D.C.; Nelson, J.H. J.
Organomet. Chem. 2003, 682, 272-289.
HYUNG K. SHIN
Professor Emeritus
Theoretical Chemistry; Chemical
Physics
E-mail: shin@unr.nevada.edu
B.S. (1959), Ph. D. (1961), University
of Utah (J.C. Giddings); Postdoctoral (1963-64),
Cornell University (B. Widom, P. Debye).
Research activities center around the theory
of molecular collisions. Principal topics of
current research include the dynamics of gassurface
reactions, collision-induced intramolecular
energy flow and bond dissociation in
large molecules, and vibrational relaxation of
matrix-isolated guest molecules.
Selected Publications
1. “Host-assisted intramolecular vibrational relaxation
at low temperatures: OH in an argon cage,”
Shin, H.K. J. Chem. Phys. 2006, 125, 024501, pp.
1-10.
2. “Collision-induced dissociation of transition
metal-oxide ions: Dyanmics of VO + collision
with Xe,” Ree, J.; Kim, Y.H.; Shin, H.K. J. Chem. Phys.
2006, 124, 074307, pp. 1-12.
3. “Threshold collision-induced dissociation of diatomic
molecules: A case study of the energet-
- ics and dynamics of O collisions with Ar and Xe,”
2
Akin, F.A.; Ree, J.; Ervin, K.M.; Shin, H.K. J. Chem.
Phys. 2005, 123, art. no. 064308, pp. 1-12.
35 - Lecturers, Distinguished, and Emeritus Faculty

University of Nevada, Reno
36
Department of Chemistry
University of Nevada, Reno
1664 North Virginia Street
Reno, NV 89557-0216
775-784-6041
www.chem.unr.edu