EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Chemistry 12/2012
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Utah State University, Logan, UT
Advisor: Prof. Vernon D. Parker, Ph.D
Dissertation: The Kinetics and Mechanisms of Some Fundamental Organic Reactions of Nitro Compounds
Ph.D. in Chemistry 06/2011
Department of Chemistry, the State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
Advisor: Prof. Jin-Pei Cheng, Ph.D., Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Collaborative Doctoral Student 08/2007 – 06/2011
Utah State University and Nankai University
B.Sc. in Chemistry 06/2005
Department of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Organic synthesis and mechanisms
- Organic synthesis of natural compounds
- Chemical processes during radical cross-linking of saturated polyolefins
- Homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis
- Sustainable and environmentally benign chemical processes
PREVIOUS RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Graduate Researcher
Research Group of Jin-Pei Cheng 09/2005 – 06/2011
Department of Chemistry, the State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
Research Group of Vernon D. Parker 08/2007 – 12/2012
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Utah State University, Logan, UT
Research focuses on the kinetics and mechanisms of some fundamental organic reactions of nitro compounds, such as proton transfer reactions of nitroalkanes and SNAr reactions of trinitroarenes. Some of the research topics are listed below:
- Development of the new methodology of kinetic data analysis to distinguish reaction mechanisms
- Kinetics and Mechanisms of proton transfer reactions of nitroalkanes, and exploration of the origin of the nitroalkane anomaly
- Mechanisms of aromatic nucleophilic substitution reactions of trinitroarenes
- Isosbestic point study to trace the intermediates
- Chemical kinetics simulation and computational chemistry
- Miscellaneous: nitroalkane chemistry, organic synthesis, kinetic isotope effects, hydrogen bonding effects, and solvent effects
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Teaching Assistant 09/2007 – 04/2009
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Utah State University, Logan, UT
Course: General Chemistry Laboratory (01/2008 – 04/2009)
Organic Chemistry Laboratory (09/2007 – 12/2007)
Teaching Assistant 09/2005 – 07/2007
Department of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
Course: Organic Chemistry I & II
PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
Publications:
- Vernon D. Parker,* Weifang Hao, Zhao Li and Russell Scow “Non-conventional vs. conventional application of pseudo-first-order kinetics to fundamental organic reactions” Int. J. Chem. Kinet. 2012, 44 (1), 2-12.
- Zhao Li, Jin-Pei Cheng,* and Vernon D. Parker* “Reactions of the Simple Nitroalkanes with Hydroxide Ion in Water. Evidence for a Complex Mechanism.” Org. Biomol. Chem. 2011, 9 (12), 4563-4569.
- Vernon D. Parker,* Zhao Li, Kishan L. Handoo, Weifang Hao, and Jin-Pei Cheng “The Reversible Consecutive Mechanism for the Reaction of Trinitroanisole with Methoxide Ion” J. Org. Chem. 2011, 76(5), 1250-1256.
In Manuscripts:
- Zhao Li, Vernon D. Parker* and Jin-Pei Cheng* “Proton Transfer Reactions of the 1-Arylnitroethanes with Hydroxide Ion in Aqueous Solutions. A Rational Explanation of the Nitroalkane Anomaly, Part II”, to be submitted to J. Org. Chem.
- Zhao Li, Vernon D. Parker* and Jin-Pei Cheng* “Isosbestic Points Study of the Proton Transfer Reactions of aliphatic nitroalkanes with Hydroxide Ion in Aqueous Solutions. A Method to Verify the Presence of an Intermediate” to be submitted to J. Phys. Chem, A.
- Zhao Li, Xiaosong Xue, Jin-Pei Cheng,* Tapas Kar* and Vernon D. Parker* “The Mechanism of the Nitroalkane Proton Transfer in Water. A Direct Comparison of Experiment with Theory.”
- Vernon D. Parker* and Zhao Li “The Validation of Instantaneous Rate Constant Analysis for the Study of Complex Organic Reactions”
- Xiaosong Xue, Zhao Li, Jin-Pei Cheng,* Tapas Kar* and Vernon D. Parker* “Hyperconjugation Effect on Nitroalkane Proton Transfer. Relevance to the Origin of the Nitroalkane Anomaly”.
- Xiaosong Xue, Zhao Li, Jin-Pei Cheng,* Tapas Kar* and Vernon D. Parker* “The Cyclization of Phenyl 3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl) Proprionate in DMSO and Water. Relevance of the Concepts of Near-Attack Complexes and Hidden Intermediates.”
Conference Posters:
- Zhao Li, Jin-Pei Cheng, and Vernon D. Parker* “The Mechanism of the Proton Transfer Reactions between Hydroxide Ion and the Simple Nitroalkanes in Aqueous Solution.” The 33rd Reaction Mechanisms Conference, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 2010.
- Zhao Li, Xiaosong Xue, Jin-Pei Cheng, Tapas Kar and Vernon D. Parker* “A Normal Brönsted Alpha for the Proton Transfer Reactions of Simple Nitroalkanes in Water. A Direct Comparison of Experiment with Theory” The 21st IUPAC International Conference on Physical Organic Chemistry (ICPOC 21), Durham University, UK, 2012.
AWARDS
Nankai University Third-Class Scholarship (2004,2003, 2002)
Nankai University First-Class Scholarship for freshmen (2001)
ACTIVITIES
Invited Reviewer (2012 – present)
Journal of Physical Organic Chemistry
Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry
Graduate Student Council, Chairman (05/2006 – 04/2007)
Department of Chemistry, Nankai University
Graduate Student Council, Senator (09/2005 – 04/2007)
College of Chemistry, Nankai University
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