Stradling Student Research Endowment

First discovered in 1930, the Wagner-Jauregg reaction consists of a Diels-Alder addition that can lead to either polymer formation or proceed through one of two possible pericyclic pathways. Specifically, it may undergo an additional Diels-Alder reaction, forming the Double-Diels-Alder product (DDA), or an ene-reaction, forming the ene-product (ene). This research investigates if solvent type plays a significant role in influencing one product over the other.

This summer research project focused on synthesizing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), specifically MOF-525, to address the environmental challenge posed by harmful azo-dyes improperly disposed of in water bodies. Azo-dyes, commonly used in industries like textiles, contain azo groups (-N=N-) that are highly toxic and can significantly harm aquatic ecosystems and human health when not managed properly.

This research focused primarily on the degradation of methyl orange through electrochemical methods. Methyl orange is one of many dyes belonging to a wider class of brightly colored dyes known as azo dyes. The defining factor of all azo dyes is the presence of a nitrogen-nitrogen double bond, also known as an azo bond. These dyes comprise up to 70% of all textile dyes used and are often released into water systems as waste. Such pollution lends itself to a variety of concerns including ecosystem disruption, such as eutrophication, and bodily harm.

The aim of the research is to determine the concentration and characterize microplastics found in clams’ tissue in local St. Lawrence rivers. Microplastics are small plastic pieces that are less than 5mm in size, and they are classified into 3 categories: pellets, fibers, and fragments.

Plastics are all around us in materials that are used daily. Due to their usefulness, plastics are widely produced, but estimates suggest that only 9% of plastic has been successfully recycled. Much of the rest of the plastic end up in landfills and oceans where it can release toxic substances. Even for plastics that can be recycled, it is usually cheaper to make new plastic than to recycle used plastic.

This summer I worked to create new polymers that can be efficiently recycled. Our world today relies heavily on plastics that are hazardous for the environment and their production is unsustainable. Currently used polymers cannot be efficiently turned back into their monomers, so creating polymers that can be depolymerized and recycled would be a major improvement in minimizing the harmful effects of plastics on our planet. I directly worked on synthesizing and isolating new monomers.

​​Plastics are widely used due to their incredible versatility and ease of manufacturing, but the polymers they are made from do not easily degrade, making recycling ineffective for most plastics. A current branch of organic chemistry research studies “self-destructive” polymers that can be broken down and reconstructed in a closed-loop cycle, hence decreasing the amount of waste produced.

Azo dyes are one of the most popular synthetic dyes used in the textile industry. An estimated 900,000 metric tons of dyes are produced annually and more than 70% belong to the azo group. Despite the textile industry playing a significant role in the economies of many countries, they are a source of hazardous environmental pollutants.

My research project this summer, titled “Examining the Wagner-Jauregg Reaction: Providing an Alternative to Morphine,” was designed to explore the possibility of synthesizing a molecule similar to morphine, but without the addictive qualities. Through my research, I looked at known chemical reactions that might provide a pathway to forming a morphine-like molecule and explored ways to change and increase the effectiveness of those reactions. My project built off of the research of several students that studied at St. Lawrence in the past, as well as Dr.

The properties of the binding pathways of intercalating chemotherapy drugs to DNA were studied through literature search and data analysis. The transcription and replication of DNA are key steps to the deadliness of uncontrolled cellular division, or cancer. Characterization of the kinetic properties of the “intercalation” mechanism, the mysterious pathway by which some chemotherapy drugs are capable of halting DNA’s transcription and replication, is where I conducted extensive reading and data analysis this summer.