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Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
The University of Texas at Austin
1 University Station A5300
Austin, TX 78712-0165
Contact Information
Office: WEL: 3.208A
Phone: 471-5658
Lab
Office: WEL 5.132
Phone: 471-4428
Fax: 471-8696
John C. Gilbert
jgilbert@mail.utexas.edu
Adjunct Professor
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Natural Sciences
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Research GroupNo information for this group. |
EducationBS, University of Wyoming, 1961 MS, Yale University, 1962 Yale University, PhD, 1965 |
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Physical organic chemistry
Our research interests encompass a wide range of problems, including computational, physical organic, and synthetic organic chemistry. Among the topics of current emphasis is the development of theoretical and experimental approaches to define the nature of strained cycloalkynes. We have gathered evidence suggesting that these systems react as though the triple bond were better represented as a dicarbene, that is, a molecule having vicinal carbene centers. The interesting ramifications of this property are being explored in a variety of cycloalkynes and arynes. The possibility that the latter react as dicarbenes is particularly fascinating in that rationalizations of their pericyclic chemistry have rested on their reacting as diradicals. Another area of research involves the development of synthetic approaches to biologically active terpenoids. Previous efforts in this area have led to a convergent enantioselective synthesis of the trichothecene skeleton, which characterizes a number of fungal metabolites. Elaboration of this approach is expected to provide useful analogs having significant pharmacological activities. Molecular modeling is used to design target molecules, and such modeling is also a factor in a related research initiative in my group, the synthesis of biologically active anti-oxidants.
Representative Publications
No information for this group.