Department of ChemistryTimothy J. Brunker
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Assistant Professor Organic Chemistry Office: 514F Smith Phone: (410)704-3118 E-mail: tbrunker@towson.edu |
| Education | M. Chem., Chemistry (1998) University of Oxford D. Phil., Chemistry (2001) University of Oxford Postdoctoral associate (2002-2004) Dartmouth College |
| Teaching |
Organic Chemistry I (CHEM 331) |
| Research | My research interests lie in the design and synthesis of chiral metal complexes for two different applications. In one project, we are interested in preparing chiral molecular switches which could act as molecular logic elements or information storage devices. We are designing ligands that once bound to a metal should allow the complex to be switched between two different, stable chiral forms by an external stimulus, typically light or electron transfer. The on/off states of the switch can be read out by chiral spectroscopic techniques such as optical rotation or circular dichroism. In a second project we are exploring new synthetic routes to chiral ligands for application in metal-catalyzed asymmetric synthesis. My program is characterized by its interdisciplinary nature spanning organic, organometallic and inorganic chemistry - students learn and utilize a range of bench-top and inert-atmosphere (schlenk line, glove-box) synthetic techniques. The compounds synthesized are studied by a wide variety of spectroscopic tools. |
| Selected Publications |
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Faculty & Staff
Department of Chemistry
Smith Hall 543
Towson University
8000 York Road
Towson, MD 21252