Contact
Dr. Michael W. Justik
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Deparment of Chemistry
School of Science
Penn State Erie
The Behrend College
4205 College Drive
Erie PA, 16563-0203
(814)-898-6412
Dr. Michael W. Justik
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Deparment of Chemistry
School of Science
Penn State Erie
The Behrend College
4205 College Drive
Erie PA, 16563-0203
(814)-898-6412
My research concerns organic compounds based on hypervalent iodine. This interesting group of molecules includes [hydroxy-(tosyloxy)iodo]benzene (Koser's reagent, HTIB), iodobenzene diacetate, and the Dess-Martin periodane. These and many related compounds have achieved the status of "reagent" in contemporary synthetic methods. Due to the higher oxidation state of iodine, these compounds act as mild oxidants capable of an ever expanding scope of synthetic applications. The development of new hypervalent iodine reagents and survey of their chemistry is of continuing interest to syntheitc organic chemistry. In addition, we are conducting investigations into the solid state structure of these interesting compounds through X-ray crystallographic techniques in collaboration with Case Western Reserve University.
Presently, my responsibilities include the development of the CHEM 430 Organic Spectral Analysis course. The course has been developed to provide the students with an overview of modern spectroscopic techniques, including FT-IR, multinuclear FT-NMR, UV-vis and mass spectrometry. This course will feature our state-of-the-art Bruker Avance 400 MHz NMR spectrometer we have recently installed.
I am one of the two organic chemistry faculty and take great pride in the instruction of CHEM 210/212 as well as the laboratory course, CHEM 213. It is my belief that the course should feature fundamentals and core concepts, rather than trying to cover the entire application of organic chemistry, which has become too large in scope for a two-semester sequence. While my upper level courses feature state-of-the-art computer presentation techniques, I believe organic chemistry should only be taught with chalk and a board - always back to basics!
CHEM 210 and 212 will be offered next summer, 2013. Please check "Schedule of Courses" for more information!
Invited for by the Royal Society of Chemistry to author the chapter "Halogens", a review of chemistry in this area for 2012. Publication in Annual Reports, Secion A, will be in the summer of 2013.
See the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 articles here..