Thanks Justin!

Grad students on this project get a pretty broad exposure to different techniques (TAS, qNMR, echem) and will work in a really supportive group environment. Previous students have done well w/ publications (both number and impact)

www.binghamton.edu/apps/academi...

Overall, we think this is the first step in understanding how to rationally design photoredox chain reactions. Huge congrats to Annemarie for her first 1st author paper and on bringing this cool study to completion! 7/7

This could mean that some reaction run under intense light conditions could show chain reactivity under less intense conditions. Also, the modeling shows that QY for a chain reaction changes with light intensity - unlike non-chain reactions. 6/n

Kinetic modeling using the rate constants from TAS reproduces the experimental QY and allows us to explore how changing other variables impacts the reaction. One interesting result, chain reactivity is most efficient at low light intensity. 5/n

Transient absorption spectroscopy shows that propagation is slow, while reduction by the photocatalyst is fast. When O2 is added, O2 acts as a secondary electron acceptor and slows the reduction of [4+2]•+ by an order of magnitude. This enables high chain reactivity. 4/n

In this report, we show that the key step in the [4+2] cycloaddition of isoprene and anethole is formation of the [4+2] product radical cation. This species can oxidize another anethole to propagate the chain or get reduced by the photocatalyst. 3/n

We had previously shown that chain reactions, those where one photon leads to multiple product molecules, are important for producing useful amounts of material at scale. But how do you intentionally design for chain reactivity? 2/n

I think more focused symposia with better attendance. It’s pretty grim to go give a talk to 10 people. Some of the divisions seem to succeed in that better than others (e.g., POLY). There are probably too many symposia overall. Sometimes the venues are too big, you spend too much time traveling

I just don’t think ACS offers the value for that kind of rate, especially when factoring hotels, food, travel, etc

With the semester ending, the point is to recognize that grades are just a snapshot of a moment in time influenced by a myriad of things, only some of which relate to the classroom and the content. Remember that the next time you talk to a student or analyze an application. 12/12

Personally, I was a mediocre Gen Chem and orgo student through no fault of the people teaching the class. It wasn’t until I got to inorganic that something clicked and I pursued chemistry. Now I love teaching Gen Chem and do physical organic research. 11/

A large number of Nobel Laureates were mediocre students. The right set of conditions later in life made things “click.” 10/