Research interests include use of nuclear magnetic
resonance spectroscopy in studies of the stereochemistry and
conformations of organic molecules, computer applications in
teaching and research, and organic synthesis.
Projects have included the study of nonchair conformations of
cyclohexane derivatives, the influence of electrostatic interactions
among polar groups upon conformational equilibria, and
conformational studies of molecules of biological interest. Much of
this work required the synthesis of organic compounds with deuterium
and carbon-13 at specific locations for use in the determination of
NMR coupling constants and relaxation times, and are interpreted in
terms of conformational equilibria. Experimental conformational
energies were also compared with those calculated by use of the
methods of computational chemistry.
Other projects have involved the use of computers in teaching
organic chemistry. The most ambitious of these projects was designed
to develop an interactive computer program for teaching of organic
synthesis.
