Student Work

2007

Natalya Atlasevich (Advisor: Kathleen Swallow)
Detection of Maillard Reaction Products Using Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) and Gas Chromatography with Mass Spectrometric Detection (GC-MS)

The Maillard reaction is a browning reaction that occurs between amino acids and sugars at high temperatures. The reaction yields important flavor, aroma, and color compounds present in foods such as coffee, peanuts, and roasted meats. In this study, the Maillard reaction between glucose and glycine was studied at high temperatures and pressures. The two most abundant volatile compounds detected by GC-MS in the reaction products was 2,5-dimethylpyrazine and trimethylpyrazine. The quantitative analysis for these compounds was used to study the reproducibility of the SPME method and to calculate a partition coefficient between an aqueous solution and a SPME fiber for 2,5-dimethylpyrazine and trimethylpyrazine.

Christina Owen (Advisor: Stephen Theberge)
Validating Method Proficiency: Procedures for Extracting Gasoline Residues from Concrete Samples

Arson is one of the most difficult crimes in which to obtain a conviction. District Attorney Alan P. Kelley describes why a conviction is so difficult; “because you have to show that this person that you are trying to convict had essentially almost exclusive opportunity and exclusive motive, to get a conviction.” Scientifically speaking, the ability to prove if a sample came into contact with an ignitable liquid and what category of ignitable liquid was used is irrefutable. Each category of ignitable liquids has a very characteristic fingerprint produced when analyzed by gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC-MS).

The technique used to extract the ignitable liquid from fire debris samples is the most critical step in the analysis of evidence. Heating fire debris in the presence of an adsorbent, followed by elution is the most widely used method for evidence analysis. However, the current method for removing ignitable liquids from concrete uses a different adsorbent and returns insufficient results. The purpose of this research project is to validate the proficiency of sampling techniques which are used in the collection of ignitable liquid residues from concrete.

2006

Brian Provencher (Advisor: Cynthia McGowan)
A Novel Approach to 3-Pyrrolidones

Pyrrolidones constitute a class of chemical compounds
consisting of a five-membered heterocyclic ring containing nitrogen with a carbonyl in the ring. These compounds are known mostly for their use in hair care, oxidative hair dyes, wet wipes, lithographic printing and enzyme inhibition. Pyrrolidones have been used for pharmaceuticals and also have been investigated for use in transdermal drug delivery. In order for pyrrolidones to have so many different uses, the ring system must be highly substituted which is very hard to accomplish. Several different methods have been employed to synthesize highly substituted pyrrolidones

By following a new scheme of brominating the central carbon of dibenzoylmethane, refunctionalizing the molecule, and then heating we were able to synthesize the triketone without using selenium dioxide. We have found that attempting to cyclize our pyrrolidone in triethylamine has given us less decomposition and cleaner NMR spectra then when we perform this reaction in an acidic solvent but we are still unsure of the structure or reaction pathway.


Keith Bartelson (Advisor: Anthony Fernandez)
Equilibrium Studies of an “Open Metallocene” with Isosteric Phosphorus Ligands

The goal of this research project was to investigate both the steric and electronic effects that may influence the equilibrium of the “open titanocene” phosphine ligands. To do this, an isosteric set of phosphorus (III) ligands, P(Me)2(p-XC6H4), were considered because they have a constant steric parameter, which would allow further investigation into the electronic effect. If a significant electronic effect is present in this equilibrium, more investigation must be done into the revision of the ligand cone angles for phosphorus (III) ligands. Several difficulties were encountered in the synthesis of the series of isosteric phosphorus ligands, but the best way to prepare them is now known. The first attempts at preparing the “open titanocene” were promising, but still need further work.