Professor Joshua Goodman of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Rochester, with the support of the Organic Dynamics Program, studies the chemistry of 1,n-cation radicals. The solution structure, reactivity, and thermochemistry of these highly reactive, short-lived intermediates, representing oxidized analogs of the comparatively well-known biradicals, are studied through a combination of product analyses, time-resolved absorption spectroscopy, and photoacoustic calorimetry. These studies provide insights into the influence of structure and thermodynamics on the reactivity of the 1,n-cation radicals and on the processes whereby they are converted into stable products. Electron transfer reactions converting 1,n-cation radicals to the corresponding 1,n-biradicals are also explored, allowing the comparison of these biradicals with those formed through independent synthetic routes in order to ascertain whether they display precursor-dependent chemistry. Study of the chemistry of reactive intermediates, compounds formed transiently at intermediate stages of chemical reactions, sheds light on the fundamental processes responsible for the chemical transformations of molecules. Professor Joshua Goodman, of the University of Rochester, studies `1,n-cation radicals,` reactive compounds containing an atom bearing a positive charge and an atom bearing a single electron, separated from each other by n-1 atoms. There is a mounting body of evidence which suggests that such cation radicals play important roles as reactive intermediates in organic reactions, some of which serve as fundamental models for biochemical processes. Development of an understanding of their structure and chemistry promises greater insights into the intricate details of these and related chemical and biochemical processes.
