Ram Mohan

IWU Chemistry Professor, Students Publish Two Articles on "Green Chemistry"

Oct. 15, 2002

Illinois Wesleyan University chemistry professor Ram Mohan and several of his current and former students have published two articles in prestigious chemistry journals detailing their ongoing research on environment-friendly organic synthesis using bismuth compounds.

Mohan's research on so-called "green chemistry" has received grant support from the National Science Foundation.

Bismuth, the least toxic of the heavy metals, has shown promise as a "green reagent" in organic synthesis in the studies conducted by Mohan and his students.

"The low toxicity of bismuth compounds has made them fairly common in pharmaceutical products such as antacids," says Mohan. "Our project is aimed at developing newer applications of bismuth compounds in organic synthesis to allow replacement of toxic compounds that are currently used to carry out the same transformations."

As Mohan notes, one of the fundamental tenets of green chemistry is to reduce the inherent hazard associated with products while allowing technological advancements. "Many bismuth products are already used as catalysts, for example in the manufacture of acrolein," says Mohan. "Bismuth appears to be extremely promising in the research that we've done. The key is making certain that the process is not only efficient but that it combines low toxicity and low cost."

The most recent work is being reported in The Journal of Organic Chemistry and Tetrahedron Letters.

Mohan is joined by Russell Smith, a junior chemistry major, and three 2002 graduates — Nick Leonard, Matt Oswald, and Bryce Nattier — as authors of "A Simple and Versatile Method for the Synthesis of Acetals from Aldehydes and Ketones Using Bismuth Triflate" in the Journal of Organic Chemistry, which is published by the American Chemical Society. According to Mohan, the article is a rare instance of work done at a four-year undergraduate institution being accepted for publication in the Journal of Organic Chemistry. (Click here for abstract.)

In addition, Mohan, senior chemistry major Herbert Zerth, and 2002 graduate Laura Wieland are co-authors of "Bismuth Triflate Catalyzed Allylation of Acetals: A Simple and Mild Method for Synthesis of Homoallyl Ethers" in Tetrahedron Letters, an international publication designed to transmit significant research results on a weekly basis. (Click here for abstract.)