Organic Chemistry in Harsh Reaction Environments

University Of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI

Investigators

Abstract

In this project funded by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics & Mechanism B Program of the Chemistry Division, Professor Robert J. McMahon of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison investigates the behavior of organic compounds under harsh conditions of temperature, pressure, or radiation. These conditions, which are similar to the conditions found in flames (combustion) or in space, cause the degradation of organic compounds and generate a complex mixture of highly reactive products. This research provides a foundation for understanding two very different problems - one involving combustion and another involving the chemistry of space. Combustion of organic fuels is central to our nation's energy supply and national economy. A fundamental understanding of combustion offers the possibility of enhancing the energy efficiency of fuel combustion and minimizing pollutants (soot) that arise from incomplete combustion. In interstellar space, it is known that hundreds of different organic compounds exist throughout the galaxy in environments that are harsh because they are so hot (near stars) or because they are so cold (far from stars). The project supports the education of graduate and undergraduate students. Training in mechanistic organic chemistry provides a valuable foundation for subsequent careers in industry or academia. Professor Robert J. McMahon has been a major contributor in developing the Department's Plan for Broadening Participation and participated in the National Diversity Equity Workshop series. Professor Robert J. McMahon is also a champion of STEM education on the UW-Madison campus. This proposal addresses issues in mechanistic organic chemistry that are relevant to our understanding of harsh reaction environments. The current proposal develops these issues along three major lines: 1) quantum mechanical tunneling in organic chemistry, 2) spectroscopy and photochemistry of carbon-chain molecules, and 3) generation, detection, and characterization of key chemical targets by rotational spectroscopy. The scientific impact of the proposed research reaches beyond chemistry and cuts across diverse areas of contemporary science. Studies of spin delocalization and spin polarization underpin the development of new organic materials with novel electrical and magnetic properties. Studies of reactive organic species contribute to a fundamental understanding of combustion. The Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), an NSF-funded astronomical interferometer of radio telescopes in northern Chile, is generating a deluge of new radio-astronomical data, much of which can be interpreted only by comparison with laboratory spectra of the type that will be obtained through the proposed studies.