Dept. of Chemistry Seminar

About the event

Speaker: Dr. David Powers, Texas A&M University

Host: Dr. Jack Zhang

Title: Reimagining Synthetic Tractability with Transparent Crystalline Flasks

Abstract:

Expanding the boundaries of synthetic tractability ¾ of what molecules can be synthesized and isolated ¾ is an eternal challenge for synthetic chemists. The development of new synthetic methods and strategies enables the properties and potential functions of novel molecular targets to be experimentally evaluated. This talk will describe recent efforts from the Powers Laboratory that advance 1) new strategies to structurally characterize transient intermediates in C–H functionalization reactions, 2) novel metal-free approaches to the sustainable generation of strong oxidants needed in C–H functionalization reactions, and 3) bifunctional reagent platforms that enable rapid elaboration of the primary products of C–H amination. Future directions and challenges will be discussed.

Bio:

Dave was born in Allentown, PA and pursued undergraduate education at Franklin and Marshall College. He earned a Ph.D. from Harvard University with Prof. Tobias Ritter and pursued postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University with Prof. Daniel Nocera. He joined the Texas A&M faculty in 2015 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2021 and Professor in 2023. His research program focuses on developing tools and tactics to advance sustainably synthetic chemistry and has been recognized by an NSF CAREER award, a DOE Early Career Award, NIH MIRA, a Sloan Fellowship and a Humboldt Fellowship. His efforts in the classroom have been recognized by Montague-Center for Teach Excellence and Association of Former Students College-Level Teaching Awards.