With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, Benny Chan and colleagues Heba Abourahma, Georgia M. Arvanitis, David Hunt and Stephanie E. Sen from The College of New Jersey will acquire a single-crystal X-ray diffractometer to support research that includes: 1) synthesis and characterization of chalcogenide materials; 2) studies on copper hinokitiol and its adducts; 3) asymmetric induction into Parham cyclizations; 4) polycycle construction utilizing biomimetic polyene cyclization methods; 5) co-crystals as active pharmaceutical ingredients, and 6) organic heterocycle chemistry. Collaborations with Princeton University in solid state chemistry and physics will also take place.
The technique of single-crystal X-ray crystallography allows accurate and precise determination of the full three dimensional structure of a molecule, including bond distances and angles, and it provides accurate information about the spatial arrangement of molecules relative to the neighboring molecules. These studies will have an impact in a number of areas ranging from synthetic organic and inorganic chemistry to systems of biological interest. This instrument will be an integral part of teaching as well as research.
