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Located in the beautiful Cache Valley of Northern Utah, the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry is internationally recognized for its outstanding record in research and its commitment to quality teaching in the classroom and in the lab. Read More . . .

Studies of the three body problem (Jan 25, 2012)

Studies of the three body problem and, in particular, the Sun–Earth–Moon system, have stimulated an enormous number of advances in physics and mathematics, including the discovery of classical chaos. In this paper a microscopic analogy of the Sun-Earth-Moon system is studied -- the ionization of Rydberg atoms in microwave fields. A remarkable feature of this system is that the electron can follow highly erratic orbits before ionizing. A comprehensive study of relevant invariant objects in phase is carried out for different system parameters. The consequences of our findings for ongoing experimental studies of the ionization of an electron by the external field are also discussed.

Photoinduced oxidative carbon-carbon bond cleavage (Dec 23, 2011)

Turn on the litght: Photoinduced oxidative carbon-carbon bond cleavage. Caleb Allpress and Lisa M. Berreau have identified that NiII complexes containing a 2-chloro-1,3-diketonate ligand undergo oxidative cleavage to produce carboxylic acids upon irradiation with UV light under aerobic conditions.

Perfect Symmetry (Sep 26, 2011)

Timur R. Galeev and Alexander I. Boldyrev and researchers from Brown University propose a construction principle for the design of highly coordinated planar transition-metal-centered boron rings. Two highly symmetric planar aromatic clusters, CoB8- and RhB9-, were predicted and experimentally observed.

Light-induced oxidative bond (Aug 15, 2011)

Light-induced oxidative bond cleavage reactivity Katarzyna Grubel and Lisa M. Berreau, working with collaborators at Clemson University and the University of Utah, have discovered novel photo-induced reactivity in metal-coordinated flavonols, which leads to carbon-carbon bond cleavage and CO release under mild conditions. This work has implications toward understanding the influence of metals on the chemistry of flavonols in nature.

Protein-arginine Methyltransferase I (Jun 21, 2011)

When an enzyme can produce two products, and each product has different biological functions, how does the enzyme control which product to make? Graduate student Laurel Gui (Hevel Lab) recently reported on identifying two residues in the active site of PRMT1 that are critical for proper control of product formation. Mutants at these sites may provide the means for teasing apart which biological processes are controlled by each of the PRMT1 products.

Protein-tyrosine Phosphatase (May 21, 2010)

Insights into the Reaction of Protein-tyrosine Phosphatase 1B Tiago A. S. Brandao, Alvan C. Hengge, and Sean J. Johnson. “Insights into the Reaction of Protein-tyrosine Phosphatase 1B: Crystal Structures for Transition State Analogs of Both Catalytic Steps.” J. Biol. Chem. 2010, 285 (21), 15874-15883. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M109.066951

Happenings

Jan 30, 2012
Biochemistry Candidate Seminar

Feb 2, 2012
Biochemistry Candidate Seminar

Feb 3, 2012
Organic/Inorganic Graduate Seminar

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