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Bruce S. Ault
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Undergraduate Program Director
Professor, Chemistry
PhD, University of California, Berkeley, 1973
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BiographyBruce Ault received his BS degree in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1970 and his PhD in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 1973, under the supervision of Professor George Pimentel. After a postdoctoral instructorship at the University of Virginia, working with Professor Lester Andrews, he joined the faculty in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cincinnati in 1976 as an assistant professor. He was promoted to associate professor in 1980 and professor in 1984. He served the department as assistant head from 1982-87 and as head from 1987 to 1997. His area of specialization is physical chemistry, with applications in inorganic and organic chemistry. He has worked actively in the field of matrix isolation since graduate school, using cryogenic temperatures to stabilize highly reactive chemical intermediates. These intermediates are subsequently characterized by high-resolution infrared spectroscopy, and quantum chemical calculations. He has won several awards for his activities, including ?Cincinnati Chemist of the Year? from the Cincinnati Section of the American Chemical Society, the Distinguished Research Awards from the Sigma Xi Society (Cincinnati Chapter) and the George Barbour award from the University of Cincinnati. Since 1979, the National Science Foundation has continuously funded nearly all his work. In addition to the research described above, Dr. Ault currently serves as Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Chemistry, helping to develop new curriculum and degree programs as well as serving as head advisor to undergraduate chemistry majors. He actively teaching physical chemistry courses at the undergraduate and graduate level, as well as freshman chemistry when time permits. He is also the lead faculty member directing the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program funded by the NSF in the Department.
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Research
Matrix Isolation Spectroscopic and Quantum Chemical Studies of Chemical Intermediates
Our overall research interests lie with the exploration of the mechanisms of important chemical reactions by isolating, identifying and characterizing reactive intermediates that are created and destroyed during the course the reaction. These species, which live for only fractions of a second under normal laboratory conditions, can be studied very effectively at cryogenic temperatures. We employ the matrix isolation technique, which allows for the trapping of highly reactive intermediates of interest in an argon crystal at nearly absolute zero. We use high resolution infrared spectroscopy as one of the primary techniques for identification and characterization of the reactive intermediate, along with theoretical calculations using modern computational chemistry software.
Intermediates in the Reaction of Ozone with Alkenes: Atmospheric Implications
While many chemical systems are amenable to study using this combination of techniques, our current interest is in two classes of reactions of O3. The first aims to resolve a long standing question in the reaction of ozone with alkenes, namely whether or not the proposed Criegee intermediate really exists. This unusual species, a carbonyl oxide, has been proposed as the second intermediate in the reaction sequence, but has never been observed. Calculations indicate that it should be present. We have developed new tools using matrix isolation to attack and solve this problem. This project has implications for atmospheric chemistry, where O3 is present from photochemical reactions and many alkenes are also present, from both anthropogenic and biogenic sources. In addition, we beginning to explore similar reactions of ozone with alkynes and NO3 (another oxidizing atmospheric pollutant) with alkenes.
Intermediates in the Reaction of Ozone with Organometallic Compounds: Implications for the Formation
The second study of ozonolysis reactions is an exploration of the reaction mechanism(s) of O3 with organometallic compounds. Interestingly, almost nothing is known about these reactions other than they are extremely rapid. They are of particular interest currently due to their potential use in the synthesis of metal oxide thin films for the solar energy conversion industry. We have carried out an initial study of the O3 + (CH3)2Zn system and now are broadening our approach to study the reaction of O3 with a wide range of volatile metal organic species. This initial study was recently published (Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2008, 112(25), 5613-5620).
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Contact Information
401 Crosley
P.O. Box 210172
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0172
phone: 513-556-9238
fax: 513-556-9239
Bruce.Ault@uc.edu
http://www.che.uc.edu |
Last updated Thursday, July 24, 2008
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