Drs. Roger Harrison, John Lamb, David Dearden, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Evaluation of how well the academic objectives of the proposal were met
Students working in the mentoring environment synthesized compounds and worked with separation and mass analyzer instruments. They learned how to make new compounds by organic synthesis and characterize their compounds by NMR and mass spectrometry. They also had the opportunity to work with other students who were working to apply their new compounds to chemical separations. They applied reactions they had learned in their courses. They learned to solve problems by finding new ways to synthesize or characterize their compounds. They learned to run, fix, and change settings on multifaceted instruments. They learned to trouble-shoot problems to solve instrumental errors. They learned to reduce human error and understand instrument capabilities. They learned to work independently as well as in a team. They learned to schedule their time and take responsibility for their own progress. They also learned to organize and present their findings in group meetings. They learned to understand the background material that concerned their project and discuss it with group members.
Students had a positive experience. They experienced what scientists do and what it takes to discover something new. They learned it takes previous knowledge, work, creativity and focus to discover new scientific information.
Students wrote their findings in reports to their advisors. They also presented their projects orally at the College Spring Research Conference and on display boards at the ACS Chemistry Week poster session.
It is anticipated that in the next six months another paper from their work will be submitted for publication.
Evaluation of the mentoring environment
The mentoring environment was formed and maintained by advisors who helped the students pick a research topic, showed students how to do research, encouraged them in their work, and helped them see where their research was going. The advisors had more concern for the students’ learning than for the volume of new results generated. The students helped each other by showing each other how to do research and by discussing new procedures. The environment motivated students to perform better and accomplish their goals. It also helped them realize that significant achievements are not made in a single day but require many incremental advances.
There was an environment of professionalism. Students were expected to know and explain what they were doing. They were expected to become experts in the topic of their project. They were encouraged to find knew knowledge and go beyond what we now know.
The atmosphere was one of moving the field to new heights. Students were treated as colleagues in the lab more than research employees. They had the chance to fail, which allowed them to experience the real world of research and see how it will provide experiences of fulfillment and disappointment. Not all students developed something new, and some students were more successful than others, but the mentors took the track that there is more to the research experience than new findings. The experience is designed to make students better chemists.
We held bimonthly combined group meetings. Students presented their findings in a fairly formal format at these meetings. These helped students see where their compounds were being used and what it takes to synthesize new compounds.
List of students who participated and what academic deliverables they have produced or it is anticipated they will produce
- Lee Allen, conference and poster presentations
- TJ Christensen, conference and poster presentations
- Ammon Eaton, conference and poster presentations
- Christopher English, conference and poster presentations
- Austin Gillespie, poster presentation
- Jayson Johnson, paper
- Na Li, conference and poster presentations
- Jessica McCown, poster presentation
- Stewart Morley, conference and poster presentations
- Tayyebeh Panahi, conference and poster presentations
- David Shaha, paper
- Russell Urie, poster presentation
During 2010 and 2011, papers were publish in part due to funding form the MEG they are: John D. Lamb and Na Li, Ion chromatography and membrane separations using macrocyclic ligands, in Supramolecular Chemistry, from Molecules to Nanomaterials, P.A. Gale and J.W. Steed, eds, Wiley, 2011; John D. Lamb, Jeremiah N. West, David P. Shaha, and Jayson C. Johnson, “An evaluation of polymer inclusion membrane performance in facilitated transport with sequential membrane reconstitution,” Journal of Membrane Science, 365, 256-259 (2010); Jing Wang, John D. Lamb, Lee D. Hansen, Roger G. Harrison, “Multiple anion binding by a zinc-containing tetratopic cyclen-resorcinarene”, Journal of Inclusion Phenomena and Macrocyclic Chemistry, 67, 55-61(2010).
Na Li and Lee Allen have done research that will be submitted for publication in the near future. In addition, Na Li and other students have an initial draft of a manuscript that will be submitted for publication. The other students are still learning and have yet to break ground in new areas.
Description of the results/findings of the project
We have found that amino acids can be attached to the upper rim of resorcinarenes. These molecules bind amines, although not with chiral selection. When put on a column, amines are separated and according to whether they are primary, secondary or tertiary.
We have also continued to study the retention and concentration of both anions and transition metal ions on chromatographic columns using the nitrogen-containing macrocycles, those with four nitrogens in their rings. These have been attached to resorcinarenes and alkyl groups and absorbed on column materials. It is clear that these compounds serve as excellent active sites fro retention and concentration of both anions and transition metal cations, and we are close to publication of results in separate papers in these two areas.
We have also found that large macrocyclic rings can be synthesized and will bind up to two metal ions. However, it has been difficult to attach long alkyl groups to the macrocycles. We are working on obtaining high yields of macrocycles with alkyl groups. These compounds will then be used for anion separation.
We have characterized by mass spectrometry amino acid containing resorcinarenes. We have found that these molecules have eight water molecules associated with them, which waters are tightly bound.
A summary account of how funds were used
The majority of the funds were used to pay student salaries. Students were able to work during the summer months in the lab due to the funds. A small part of the funds, around fifteen percent, was used for supplies and chemicals.