Welcome to Dr. Thoburn's Website. It is my hope that interested parties will find useful information regarding organic chemistry on this page. Students of organic chemistry will find course materials such as assignments, class notes, extra problems, spectroscopy tables, and old exams. Undergraduates interested in research opportunities will find project descriptions, pictures, and a list of publications. If you would like to find what you can do with a chemistry degree follow the link to former students. Finally you will find a few pictures of hobbies and other activities (coming soon). John
D. Thoburn |
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Contact Information
jthoburn@rmc.edu
(804) 752-3790
Courses
Organic
Chemistry
Senior
Seminar
Research
Projects Group Members Equipment
Fun Stuff
Click on the picture above & drag mouse to rotate molecule in real time,
or click "Jmol" for more viewing options.
The [1,5] hydrogen shift in 1,3-pentadiene occurs in three steps: internal
rotation from the unreactive s-trans to reactive s-cisoid
conformation, transfer of hydrogen between terminal carbons, and finally
rotation from s-cisoid to s-trans conformation. Recently
we have been investigating the possibility of quantum mechanical effects
along the reaction coordinate. This intriguing aspect of reaction dynamics
allows the hydrogen to "tunnel" through the chemical barrier
rather than cross over it. Quantum mechanical effects manifest themselves
in a variety of experimental observables including altered kinetic isotope
effects, Arrhenius parameters, and Swain-Schaad exponents. See Research
link for more details.