Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Organic/Inorganic/Materials Seminar Series

Professor Robert Strongin, Portland State University
3:30 pm, 110 Fenton Hall
December 5, 2024 
Hosted by NRT

Title: Advances in Abiotic Biosensors and Targeted Molecular Probes

For the past three decades our group has addressed fundamental challenges in biomedical diagnostics. Applications have included the detection of cancer, cardiovascular disease and redox-related disorders. The general approach involves the development of design principles for transforming relatively simple pH dyes into inherently targeted, highly selective long wavelength and NIR-active agents that function without the need for conjugation to biomolecules. This has allowed us to develop abiotic chemical indicators to detect intriguing disease biomarkers such as specific sugars, amino acids and low-abundant phospholipids. In addition, molecular probes that target human pancreatic cancer tissue have been synthesized and evaluated.

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Physical Chemistry Seminar Series

Professor Evan R. Williams – UC Berkeley
November 18, 2024 —2:00pm
Tykeson 140
Hosted by Jim Prell

Title: Overcoming Molecular Complexity One Ion at a Time

Heterogeneous materials can be challenging to analyze especially when the masses of individual components extend beyond 100 kDa.  With mass spectrometry, individual charge states produced by electrospray ionization can be difficult to resolve due to overlaps in m/z from other components or from adduction of salts or other non-specific molecular interactions.  One demonstrated solution to this problem of sample heterogeneity for high mass analytes is to measure the charge as well of the m/z of individual ions so that the mass of each ion can be determined without interference from other ions.  Single ion mass measurements have been performed with a variety of instrument types, but charge detection mass spectrometry with electrostatic ion traps have the advantage of virtually unlimited mass range, single charge accuracy, and the ability to make dynamic measurements.  A primary challenge is to acquire single ion data sufficiently rapidly to make this method practical.  Solutions to this challenge, as well as state of the art capabilities of charge detection mass spectrometry and applications to viral and nanoparticle analysis will be discussed. Results from experiments aimed at understanding the chemistry and physics of charged droplets will also be presented.

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Organic-Inorganic-Materials Chemistry Seminar Series

Professor Nicholas D. Ball, Pomona College
November 1, 2024
3:00 pm, WIL 110
Hosted by the Alliance for Diversity in Science and Engineering (ADSE)

Title: Synthetic Strategies toward Fluorosulfurylation of  Organic Molecules and Lewis-Acid Catalyzed Sulfur-Fluoride Exchange (SuFEx)

Sulfur-fluoride exchange (SuFEx) chemistry is emerging as a promising synthetic tool in chemical biology, material science, and synthetic chemistry. In synthesis, sulfur (VI) fluorides show unique promise as synthons in organic chemistry due to their stability versus other sulfur (VI) halogen analogues. The key to adopting SuFEx chemistry is the development of efficient modes to synthesize and react to sulfur (VI) fluorides. Research initiatives employing Lewis acids, and transition-metal chemistry toward synthesizing sulfonyl fluorides will be described. New SuFEx methods that react a broad set of S(VI) fluorides with carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen-based nucleophiles towards structurally diverse S(VI) compounds will also be presented.

Our study introduces a novel SuFEx reaction that synthesizes nitrogen-based sulfonylated compounds from various S(VI) fluorides, mediated via a Lewis acidic calcium salt. This reaction, conducted under a unified set of reaction conditions, allows for coupling sulfonyl fluorides, fluorosulfates, and sulfamoyl fluorides with various amines. The result is the synthesis of a wide array of aryl and alkyl sulfonamides, sulfamides, and sulfamates in good to excellent yield. We will also discuss computational and NMR kinetic studies that aim to elucidate the mechanism of Ca-activation and the lessons learned from these mechanistic studies that have led to new catalytic SuFEx reactions that work across an array of Lewis acids.