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Dr Richard D. Bowen Reader in Organic Chemistry Email: r.d.bowen@bradford.ac.uk Phone: +44 (0)1274 233774 |
Research Interests
Dr Bowen's research interests fall into two main areas: Physical Organic Chemistry and Synthesis.
Physical Organic Chemistry
The structure and
reactivity of organic ions in the absence of solvent are being
studied by mass spectrometry, with special emphasis on
"unconventional" ion structures, particularly
ion-neutral complexes and distonic ions. Ion-neutral complexes
(INCs) are novel species comprising an incipient ion and a
neutral component that are sufficiently free to manifest their
inherent properties whilst still being held together by ionic
forces; they are mechanistically significant because they
resemble ion-pairs in cage effects in solution. Distonic ions
(DIs) have the notional charge and spin sites located on
different 'heavy' atoms, typically separated by one or more
methylene groups or similar entities. Special attention is being
paid to the 'radical' properties of DIs and the influence of
frontier orbital interactions on the fragmentation of DIs and
related species.
Other mechanistic concepts being studied by mass spectrometry
include: "simple" cleavages, some of which involve
skeletal isomerisations via DIs and INCs; the relative ease of
1,2-, 1,3-, 1,4- and 1,5-H shifts to radical and cationic centres
in various systems; the value of primary and secondary kinetic
isotope effects, some of which are extremely large, as
mechanistic probes; the synchronicity of concert in pericyclic
processes; and analogies between the fragmentations of isolated
ions and familiar reactions in solution.
Dr Bowen is also interested in analytical and mechanistic studies
by mass spectromety in the widest sense, with particular interest
in proximity effects, and Raman spectroscopy of specifically
labelled analogues of compounds, which serve as models for
biologically and medicinally important substrates.
Synthesis
Dr Bowen is interested in the synthetic utility of organometallic compounds, especially Grignard reagents, and the preparation of isotopically labelled species.