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Honors Program
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Student Research

Organic Chemistry

• Synthesis of compounds thought to inhibit the plant hormone auxin and various auxinsignaling pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana
• Synthesis of Dioxo - Analogs of Elenic Acid
• Asymmetric Synthesis Using Chiral Mercury Salts
• Alternative Methods for the Instruction of Organic Chemistry Using Visualization and Animation Technologies

Inorganic Chemistry

• Heterobimetallics [1.4 MB PDF]
• Zwitterionic Organometalates [1.4 MB PDF]
• Spring 2009 [ 1 MB PDF]
• Summer 2008 [1.1 MB PDF]
• Summer 2007 [900 kB PDF]
• Summer 2006 [300 kB PDF]
• Summer 2005 [400 kB PDF]

Biochemistry

• Preparation of an Expression Vector for Ferrochelatase Carrying the gene for Kanamycin Resistance
   

Physical Chemistry

• The Electronic Structure of Gold Fluoride (AuF) [1.7 MB PDF]
• The E-X Sytem of Tantalum Oxide (TaO) [2.0 MB PDF]
• The Electronic Structure of Tantalum Oxide (TaO) [1 MB PDF]
• A Clearer Picture of Air Pollution
• The Electronic Structure of Rhenium Oxide (ReO) [1.5 MB PDF]

General Chemistry

• An Analysis of How Science Research is Transformed by the Media

Research

Asymmetric Synthesis Using Chiral Mercury Salts

Michael Danielson, Rebecca Cowan Hoye and William A. Smit
Department of Chemistry, Macalester College

This project involves attempts to synthesize a molecule having asymmetrical centers through the use of chiral salts of mercury. The ability to execute stereospecific synthesis is important to the pharmaceutical industry. The synthesis being attempted is:

The stereochemistry of the product is anticipated to be directed by the stereochemistry of the component "X." Biochemical systems, such as the human body, respond only to compounds or drugs having specific configuration. Development of these methods will allow pharmaceutical chemists to perform efficient stereospecific syntheses.

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