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Research Opportunities
in the Department of
Chemistry and Physics
2008 SURE Program Faculty members of the Department of Chemistry and Physics at Indiana State University are offering the following research projects in the areas of chemistry and physics for the summer of 2008. If you are an Indiana State University undergraduate who is interested in applying for a fellowship to on one of these projects contact the appropriate faculty member for further details regarding joining their research group. CHEMISTRY PROJECTS
Research Advisor: R. A. Fitch Office: Science 033E Email: rfitch@carbon.indstate.edu Dr. Fitch is looking for up to 4-6 students interested in his research in the areas of Pharmacognosy, Bioorganic, Organic and Medicinal Chemistry. He is offering the following four projects. Project ID: RF-1 Project Title: Enantioselective activated-sulfur oxidation of alcohols. The oxidation of alcohols by activated sulfur reagents comes in a variety of flavors known under the names of Swern, Moffatt, and Corey-Kim. The reaction generally involves the treatment of primary or secondary alcohol with an activated sulfonium salt (usually derived from dimethyl sulfoxide, DMSO). Subsequent treatment with base gives the corresponding carbonyl aldehyde or ketone. Dr Fitch is interested in developing asymmetric variants of this reaction to resolve enantiomers of secondary alcohols. These compounds are important intermediates for the synthesis of complex natural products and drugs to treat disease. The general approach involves the use of chiral sulfoxides that, when activated, will react selectively with only one of the enantiomers of the chiral alcohol. This leaves the less reactive enantiomer behind. Students involved in these projects will learn general synthetic methods as well as how to prepare chiral molecules and the measurement of enantiomeric excess. Project ID: RF-2 Project Title: Multivalent Ligands for Nicotinic Receptors. We are looking at the synthesis and biological evaluation of compounds that bind to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and affect their function. As part of this work we are interested in preparing compounds that can be used to evaluate the distance between adjacent binding sites on the receptor. We will do this by preparing bivalent ligands. That is a long molecule that binds to the receptor at both ends, acting like a molecular tape measure. Only molecules that are long enough will bind to both sites on the protein, and only the ones that are the right length will bind best. We will prepare these compounds from polyethylene glycols HO(CH2CH2O)n-H. These diols can be coupled to molecules that bind to the receptor on both ends and these compounds will become our tape measures. Students involved in this project will learn methods for organic synthesis, compound purification andcharacterization, and interpretation biological assays for affinity.  Project ID: RF-3 Project Title: Synthesis and medicinal chemistry of natural products. Dr. Fitch is interested in many natural compounds, especially alkaloids (see below) that are derived from natural sources. In order to provide proof of structure and to prepare analogs for bioactivity studies, it is necessary to chemically synthesize the compounds. We use the tools of organic synthesis to prepare medicinally important compounds that are then evaluated biologically as potential biological probes or therapeutics. Two compounds that are of current interest are epiquinamide, a compound isolated from poison frogs, and derivatives of cytisine, a compound isolated from leguminous plants. Both of these molecules are quinolizidine alkaloids with nicotinc receptor activity. Epiquinamide was isolated in 2003 from an Ecuadoran poison frog. We have synthesized three of the four possible diastereomers of the structure and are interested in developing a general annulation strategy for the general stereocontrolled synthesis of this class of molecules. Using this methodology, we plan to synthesize analogs of anagyrine (another quinolizidine alkaloid) by annulation of natural cytisine. Students involved in these projects will learn general synthetic methods as well as how to prepare chiral molecules and the measurement of enantiomeric excess. Project ID: RF-4 Project Title: Isolation, structure elucidation, and pharmacology of neuroactive alkaloids. Dr. Fitch is interested in biologically active natural products. Especially of interest are compounds that are active at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. These receptors are important mediators of communication within the nervous system. Compounds that act at these receptors may be important biological probes and potential drugs for the treatment of neurological diseases. Examples include the alkaloids cytisine and epiquinamide (above) as well as epibatidine, pumiliotoxins, sparteine, nicotine, and many others. We use HPLC to analyze extracts of the materials and then collect the eluate in 96-well plates. We then analyze the biological activity of the fractions to identify promising compounds. Once active compounds are identified, we isolate the compounds to determine the structures. Once the compounds have been isolated, we determine the biological activity using a variety of assays, including radioligand binding and functional fluorescence assays. Students working on this project will learn methods for isolation, chromatographic methods, and spectroscopic analysis, including mass spectrometry, NMR and IR spectroscopy. Research Advisor: W. H. Flurkey Office: Science 035G Email: wflurkeyiii@isugw.indstate.edu Project ID: WF-1 Project Title: C-terminal peptides from tyrosinase with potential anti-bactericidal properties Several C-terminal peptides from hemocyanin have been shown to have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Tyrosinase is structurally, and in some respects enzymatically, homologous to hemocyanin. By looking for homologous hemocyanin peptides in the tyrosinase gene sequence, it may be possible to identify potential C-terminal peptides in tyrosinase with anti-bacterial/fungal properties. These peptides can be synthesized commercially and tested against a variety of microorganisms for inhibition/killing activity. If so, proteolytic processing of tyrosinase may result in other functions for the enzyme besides pigment formation. Project ID: WF-2 Project Title: Protein-protein interactions with tyrosinase Purified mushroom tyrosinase will be used as a “bait” to catch “prey” proteins that may interact with tyrosinase. To capture the prey, tyrosinase will be immobilized on solid supports. Passage of crude mushroom proteins through this matrix will allow prey proteins to bind/interact with tyrosinase. Both prey proteins and tyrosinase can be eluted from the solid supports and analyzed by SDS PAGE. Proteins other than tyrosinase can be partially sequenced using contract sequencing facilities. Partial sequences can be analyzed using bioinformatics to identify the prey proteins. If we do find proteins interacting with tyrosinase, this may indicate tyrosinase is part of a cluster of protein(s) and perhaps some higher level of organization or network of proteins. Office: Science 035N Email: glendening@indstate.edu Project ID: EG-1 Project Title: Methane-to-Methanol Conversion on Metal Oxide Cations Dr. Glendening is looking for up to two students interested in pursuing research on the following computational chemistry project. Metal oxide catalysts can be used to convert natural gas to liquid fuels, such as methanol. Efforts to enhance the selectivity and efficiency of these catalysts are hampered, however, because the reaction mechanisms are largely unknown. Over the past decade, chemists have sought to determine these mechanisms by studying reactions that simple hydrocarbons undergo on small clusters of metal oxides.  We currently have two computational projects underway studying the gas-phase conversion of methane to methanol. The first considers methane-methanol conversion on Group 5 metal oxide cluster cations (M2On+ for n=4,5,6 and M=V,Nb). The second focuses on reactions with several of the simplest metal oxide cations (MO+, where M=Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni). For these projects, we use computational chemistry methods to explore the mechanisms for these reactions. We are interested in understanding the elementary steps by which methane is converted to methanol and in determining how the electronic structure of the metal oxide cluster influences the course of the reaction. Research students will learn to use advanced computational chemistry methods on ISUs high performance computer. Research Advisor: R. A. Kjonaas Office: Science 051F Email: rkjonaas@indstate.edu Dr. Kjonaas is looking for 2 half-time students or 1 full-time student to carry out the following organic chemistry project. The student(s) must have completed Chemistry 352 and 352L. Project ID: RK-1 Project Title: Minimization of Coupling Products in the Preparation of Substituted Benzylic Grignard Reagents. Grignard reagents are one of the most versatile and widely used types of reagents for the formation of carbon-carbon bonds. Unfortunately, Wurtz coupling is a side reaction that can present a problem in the preparation of allylic and benzylic Grignards. Experiments carried out in our lab last summer showed that the presence of an alkyl group in the para position of secondary benzylic halides causes Wurtz coupling to be the predominant result even at higher dilution and lower temperatures (see equation below). Grignards of this type (R = alkyl) would be useful in the preparation of a certain class of anti-inflammatory compounds as well in the enantioselective synthesis of certain sesquiterpines. In an attempt to find an efficient way to prepare para substituted secondary benzylic Grignard reagents, we plan to carry out a series of experiments in which we alter several experimental variables.  Research Advisor: L. D. Rosenhein Office: Science 035M Email: chrosen@isugw.indstate.edu Project ID: LR-1 Project Title: Synthesis and characterization of dinuclear metal complexes. Dr. Rosenhein is looking for a student interested in a a half-time appointment fellowship to study the synthesis and characterization of dinuclear metal complexes. Compounds of transition metals are studied for many reasons: they are relevant to the active centers of metalloenzymes; they are used as industrial catalysts for transformations of organic molecules; they can be formulated so as to create extended structures with particular geometrical or electronic properties - to mention a few. Here, we concentrate on dinuclear complexes, in which two metal atoms are in proximity, and which usually have sulfur-containing ligands. (Nitrogenase and hydrogenase are two important enzymes that also have these properties.) New compounds are synthesized, normally under anaerobic conditions. They must be characterized by spectroscopic means, and sometimes ultimately with x-ray crystallography (performed at Indiana University). Electrochemical characterization is also of great interest, as many of these kinds of compounds can exist in more than one oxidation state. Participant should have completed organic chemistry. Project ID: LR-2 Project Title: Metal complexes of “fragrant” isocyanides. A second potential project involves mononuclear compounds with isocyanide ligands (CNR). Many metal complexes of isocyanides have been made, but it is often an unpleasant experience because of the very unpleasant smell of these organic compounds. A recent paper describes a class of isocyanides which are said to be relatively painless to work with. I want to see if they can be used to form metal complexes, perhaps with a view toward incorporating them in undergraduate inorganic laboratory experiments. An organic chemistry background is also necessary for this project. Research Advisor: S. F. Wolf Office: Science 051K Email: wolf@indstate.edu Dr. Wolf is looking for one student interested in a full-time fellowship for the summer of 2008 in the area of cosmochemistry. Project ID: SW-1 Project Title: Trace Element Distribution in Primitive Meteorites Our cosmochemical research is focused on developing and applying novel physical and chemical methods for selective phase dissolution in conjunction with modern instrumental methods of analysis such as X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) with the goal to establish correlations between major and minor phases and contents of trace and ultra-trace elements in cosmochemical materials. This work requires the development of instrumental calibration methods in order to accurately determine compositions of both source material and solutions generated from selective dissolution experiments. By establishing the relationship between the trace elements to other trace, minor, and major elements we hope to identify host phases and clarify several questions regarding trace element distributions. An understanding of the disposition of the highly volatile trace element would address several fundamental questions about the genesis and evolution of cosmochemical materials. Additional information on Dr. Wolf’s Research Group can be found on the following URL. http://carbon.indstate.edu/wolf/wolf_group.html PHYSICS PROJECTS
Research Advisor: E. Preston Office: Science 165H Email: epreston@indstate.edu Project ID: EP-1 Project Title: The Approach to Mean-Field in Driven Threshold Systems Driven threshold models are used to study the self-organization of phenomena such as seismic fault systems and financial markets. These models start from very simple physics (like a network of massive blocks connect by ideal springs), but yield complex behavior. This project involves authoring and using codes to simulate driven threshold models near, but away from, the mean-field regime, to study how weak local correlations affect the power-law response of critical systems. Students will perform data analysis and also assist in code development and testing, so some familiarity with C or C++ programming languages is desired. Project ID: EP-2 Project Title: Space-Charge Effects in a Photoinjected Electron Pulse When free electric current travels across a cavity, as in a vacuum diode, there is an upper limit to the current due to the self-repulsion of the electrons. This effect is called space-charge limiting. This problem is receiving new attention due to many modern applications, including high-current nanoscale electronics, microwave generators, and electron guns. Recent advances on the classic planar diode problem include two-dimensional geometries, collisional effects, and photoemission spectra. However, little work has been done with pulsed currents, as are produced in electronic switches, electron guns, and system-generated EMP effects. In this project we will develop a 1D Vlasov-equation solving code for non-neutral plasmas to study the problem of SCL effects on pulsed currents. With an efficient and stable code we can determine the range of parameters for which the steady-state solution no longer provides an adequate prediction. Students should have experience in advanced electrodynamics (PHYS 341) and have a basic familiarity with the C or C++ programming languages. Research Advisor: J. West Office: Science 165G Email: jwest4@isugw.indstate.edu Dr. West is looking for one, maybe two students to work in the area of physics. The specific project(s) will be decided pending student interest, equipment availability, and instructor interest during the summer. Primarily, a student should be willing to be flexible in terms of projects, including possible travel to the campus of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and associated research laboratories, and the campus of Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Projects JW-2, JW-3, and JW-4 involve ideas appropriate for first year physics students (PHYS 105 + 106 or PHYS 205 + 206). Project ID: JW-1 Project Title: Raman Scattering If the option is available, this experimental work will take precedence over the other projects and will involve the use of cutting edge equipment in solid state physics research, and is part of a long term continuing project. Project ID: JW-2 Project Title: Trebuchet project This is a theoretical project that needs to be finished before the ArrowCopter or Pendulum projects are started. It is in its final stages and it should be possible to finish this project and one of the others below by the end of the summer. Project ID: JW-3 Project Title: ArrowCopter dynamics This is an experimental project concerning the aerodynamics of a common plastic flying toy with automatic variable wing geometry. Project ID: JW-4 Project Title: Chaotic Pendulum This project will require the use of, and possibly the writing of, short scientific computer programs (numerical work vs. web design). Students considering work on this projects should be proficient with the use of Excel, and preferably already familiar with at least one computer programming language (Fortran, C, C++, Visual Basic…..take your pick). It is expected that the student will learn some programming “on the job,” although expert programmers are also welcome. Research Advisor: G. Zhang Office: Science 165I Email: gpzhang@magneto.indstate.edu Dr. Guoping Zhang is looking for up to two students interested in doing research on (a) ultrafast dynamics in nanomaterials such as C60, and (b) laser-induced ultrafast demagnetization in ferromagnets. They are open to both full-time and half-time summer students. Two students may work on the single project. Requirements: (1) Students must have successfully finished Physics 105 (205) and Physics 106 (206); (2) Students must have a strong math background and be willing to learn new methods; (3) Students must be willing to learn computer programming languages such as Fortran and C languages, Linux system, plotting softwares, graphics, and animations softwares; and (4) Students must be committed to the projects. Facility: Each student will work in Room 115, equipped with internet connection and a desktop computer. The main calculation is done on ISU high-performance computer clusters. Project ID: GZ-1 Project Title: Detection of vibrational and electronic dynamics on a femtosecond time scale With development of ultrafast laser technology, one can detect vibrational and electronic dynamics on a femtosecond time scale (or 10^15 seconds). This technique is like a regular magnetic resonant imaging or MRI, where one scans across different frequencies and detects the signal. This project involves examination of laser frequency and laser duration on the signal. Project ID: GZ-2 Project Title: Laser-induced ultrafast demagnetization in ferromagnets Laser-induced ultrafast demagnetization in ferromagnets is a Department of Energy supported program. The objective is to understand and design a much faster magnetic storage device. The simulation starts with a structural optimization of nickel thin film using WIEN2k package. The laser field is included afterwards. Working on this program will have a chance to work in fall. |
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