With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) with support from the Chemistry Division and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, Professor Xueqing Song and Isadora J. Posey from the University of the District of Columbia, Vadim D. Knyazev from the Catholic University of America and Paul Sabila from Gallaudet University will acquire a 400 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer that will be shared among the three institutions. The proposal is aimed at enhancing research training and education at all levels, especially in areas of study such as organotin research; initial stage pyrolysis of polymers; synthesis of quinine-derived natural product-like compounds; monitoring pesticide and other hazardous chemical wastes; and chemical composition of biogas production in an anaerobic digestor.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is one of the most powerful tools available to chemists for the elucidation of the structure of molecules. It is used to identify unknown substances, to characterize specific arrangements of atoms within molecules, and to study the dynamics of interactions between molecules in solution. Access to state-of-the-art NMR spectrometers is essential to chemists who are carrying out frontier research. The results from these NMR studies will have an impact in a wide range of areas including organic and organometallic synthesis, natural products synthesis, analytical chemistry, environmental science, biochemistry, and chemical engineering. Moreover, the presence of the shared NMR will stimulate additional competitive research requiring this tool and catalyze new multi-disciplinary collaborations involving researchers in several disciplines at these campuses. This instrument will be an integral part of teaching as well as research and be used by large numbers of students underrepresented in science.

Project Report

has provided the proper housing and environment for the Bruker AscendTM 400 MHz NMR spectrometer. The spectrometer, accessories, and a HPCWIN Four (4) Windows host workstation have been installed in the new UDC NMR Laboratory. Additionally, a remote workstation has been installed in a teaching laboratory at each of the partner institutions, Gallaudet University, The Catholic University of America, and UDC. The PIs have been collaborating on the development of policies for usage and maintenance of the spectrometer to best serve the interests of teaching and research. Several Research projects have been initialized at the three collaborating institutions, including "Novel Ionic Triorganotin(IV) Complexes as Possible Bactericides and Fungicides"(UDC), " Monitoring of Glyphosate and its degradation residue by phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy"(UDC), "Synthesis of organotin macromolecules for semiconducting electronic devices"(UDC), "Synthesis and characterization of beta-cyclodextrin complexes"(UDC), "Kinetics of the initial stages of pyrolysis of polymers" (Catholic), and "Synthesis of quinine-derived natural products-like molecules" (Gallaudet). Data collected in these research projects by the new instrument have resulted in six publications and several in preparation. As a result of further collaboration between UDC and CUA, a new project "1H NMR-based metabolic profiling of anaerobic or aerobic metabolism" between Dr. Xueqing Song (UDC) and Dr. Frankin Portigual (CUA) was initiated in summer 2013. Dr. Song also received two UDC MINI Grants in 2011(NMR Studies on a series of Ionic Triorganotin complexes) and 2012 (Synthesis and Structure Characterization of Some Ionic Triphenyltin Complexes with 6-membered Stanna-Ring) with a total support of $25,000 from UDC NSF STEM programs. With the support of preliminary data generated from the NMR spectrometer, Dr. Song (chemistry) and Dr. Tyagi from the UDC School of Engineeringa won a Research Initiation Award from the NSF HRD Program in 2012 with a total of $199,992 awarded for two years. In this interdisciplinary collaboration, Dr. Song is responsible for the synthesis of macro organometallics for electronic devices. The installation of the new NMR spectrometer enhanced the infrastructure at UDC and also made it possible for all chemistry graduates to be involved in senior research NMR-related studies. Mr. Konstantin Popov, a graduate student (CUA) received training in experimental and modeling techniques of chemical kinetics and quantitative analysis. The experimental and modeling work described in this report contributed approximately one half of the research included in his Ph.D. dissertation, which he plans to defend in the end of November of 2013. The new instrument has also been used in organic chemistry as well as other upper level chemistry courses for approximately 40 students at UDC and 15 students at Gallaudet per semester. All chemistry majors at UDC have presented their research findings in local and national scientific conferences, in which many of them were rewarded for their excellent research activities. For example, (1) Andrei Callejas(2013 graduate), 1st place at the 2012 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) for oral presentation in Chemistry and 1st place at the 2013 NIS/BKX 65th annual Meeting for oral Presentation in Chemistry; (2) Woldegebriel Yeibyo (Senior), 1st place at the 2012 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) for oral presentation in Biochemistry; (3) Dain Thorpe (2013 Graduate), was accepted in Howard Medical School for the 2013 class, CSW College Chemistry Achievement Award 2012-2013. Looking to the future, we envision many enhancements to our curricula, the growth of collaborative research, and infrastructure support for new faculty being fostered by the availability of the Bruker AscendTM 400 MHz NMR spectrometer.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Chemistry (CHE)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
1040094
Program Officer
Carlos Murillo
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2010-10-01
Budget End
2013-09-30
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$290,500
Indirect Cost
Name
University of the District of Columbia
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Washington
State
DC
Country
United States
Zip Code
20008