Ross A. Widenhoefer
Principal Investigator
Office: 124 Science Drive, 2101 French Science Center, Durham, NC 27708
Mitch Rivers
5th Year Ph. D. Candidate
B.S. Northeastern University
Daniel Duan
4th Year Ph. D. Candidate
B.S. University of California, Davis
Jack Malek
3rd Year Ph. D. Candidate
B.A. Colgate University
jack.malek@duke.edu
Brady Slinger
3rd Year Ph. D. Candidate
B.A. Hamilton College
brady.slinger@duke.edu
Kate Burns
3rd Year Ph. D. Candidate
B.S. College of William & Mary
kate.burns@duke.edu
Matthew Will
1st Year Ph. D. Student
B.S. John Brown University
matthew.will@duke.edu
Rosemary Buhrman
4th Year Undergraduate Student
rosemary.buhrman@duke.edu
Miguel Cohen Suarez
3rd Year Undergraduate Student
miguel.cohensuarez@duke.edu
Xujun Zheng, Ph.D
Postdoc since 2020
Ph.D. Wuhan University
Former Graduate Students
Caroline Stow, Ph.D. 2022
Thesis Title: Investigation of Gold alpha-Oxo Carbene/Carbenoid Complexes as Key Intermediates in Gold(I) Catalysis
Current Position: Caroline is an innovation scientist at Robertet Group in New York City, New York
Yichen Yu, Ph.D. 2022
Thesis Title: Mechanical Force Modulated Organometallic Transformations
Current Position: Yichen is a software engineer at Google in San Francisco, CA
Liqi Wang, Ph.D. 2022
Thesis Title: Mechanochemical Reaction Development for Addition, Elimination, and Isomerization
Current Position: Liqi is a consultant at ZS associates in Chicago, IL.
Nana Kim, Ph.D. 2019
Thesis Title: Mechanistic Analysis of Gold(I) Catalysis through Generation and Direct Observation of Reactive Intermediate Analogues
Current Position: Nana is a postdoc in the Engle lab at Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA.
Robert Carden, Ph.D. 2019
Thesis Title: Mechanistic Investigations of Gold(I)-catalyzed Carbene Transfer and Hydrofucntionalization Reactions
Current Position: Bob is currently a teaching postdoc at Villanova University, PA.
Hillary Straub, M.S. 2017
Jacob Timmerman, Ph.D. 2017
Thesis Title: Gold(I)-Catalyzed Hydrofunctionalization of Alkenes and Alkylidenecyclopropanes with Carbon and Nitrogen Nucleophiles
Current Position: Jacob is currently at Genentech, San Francisco after Postdoctoral research in John Wood’s group at Baylor University.
Jessica Reel, M.S. 2016
Thesis Title: A comparative review of computational methods as applied to gold(I) complexes and mechanisms
Current Position:
Bradley Robertson, Ph.D. 2015
Thesis Title: I. The Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Apratoxin D II. Studies in the Gold(I)-Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of 7-Aryl-1,6-Enynes III. Synthesis and Application of Multidentate Ligands Toward the Realization of Fluxional Mechanocatalysis
Current Position: Brad is currently a research scientist with Chimerix in Durham, NC.
Robert Harris, Ph.D. 2015
Thesis Title: Mechanistic Investigations of Gold(I) Catalyzed Hydrofunctionalizations of C-C Multiple Bonds
Current Position: Robert is currently a HHMI Postdoctoral Fellow with Chris Scarborough at Emory University.
Rachel Brooner, Ph.D. 2013
Thesis Title: Mechanistic Studies of pi-Activation Catalysis by Cationic Gold(I) and Bronsted-acid
Current Position: Rachel is currently a postdoctoral associate with Melanie Sanford in Ann Arbor, MI.
Seong Du Lee, Ph.D. 2012
Thesis Title: Gold(I)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydroamination of Unactivated Alkenes
Current Position: Seong Du is currently working for LG in South Korea.
Timothy Brown, Ph.D. 2012
Thesis Title: Model Studies of Proposed Intermediates in Homogeneous Gold(I) Catalysis
Current Position: Tim is currently an Associate Scientist at the Pesticide Research Institute in Berkley, CA.
Paramita Mukherjee, Ph.D. 2012
Thesis Title: Gold(I)-Catalyzed Dehydrative Amination and Alkoxylation of Underivatized Allylic Alcohols
Current Position: Paramita is currently a Senior Scientist at Pfizer.
Kristina (Toups) Butler, Ph.D. 2012
Thesis Title: Gold(I)- and Platinum(II)-Catalyzed Hydrofunctionalizations of Allenes and Alkenes with Carbon and Nitrogen Nucleophiles
Current Position: Kristina is currently a Senior R&D Chemist at Albermarle Corporation in Baton Rouge, LA.
Alethea Duncan, Ph.D. 2011
Thesis Title: Gold(I)-Catalyzed Hydrofunctionalizations of Allenes with Nitrogen and Oxygen Nucleophiles
Current Position: Alethea is currently working for the United States government.
Zhibin Zhang, Ph.D. 2008
Thesis Title: Gold(I) and Platinum(II)-Catalyzed Hydrofunctionalization of Alkenes and Allenes with Carbon, Oxygen, and Nitrogen Nucleophiles
Current Position: Zhibin is currently a project chemist at Emerson Climate Technologies in Sidney, OH.
Christopher F. Bender, Ph.D. 2007
Thesis Title: Gold(I) and Pt(II)-Catalyzed Hydroamination of Alkenes and Allenes
Current Position: Chris is currently a research scientist Reata Pharmaceuticals in Dallas, TX.
Hua Qian, Ph.D. 2006
Thesis Title: Catalytic Hydrofunctionalization of Unactivated Alkenes
Current Position: Hua is currently a research scientist at Suzhou Novartis Pharma Technology in Changshu City, PRC.
Cong Liu, Ph.D. 2006
Thesis Title: I: Rhodium-Catalyzed Cyclization/Hydrosilylation of Diynes and Enynes. II: Transition Metal-Catalyzed Addition of Stabilized Carbon Nucleophiles to Unactivated Olefins and Alkenes
Current Position: Cong is currently a research scientist at Dow Chemical.
Xiaoqing Han, Ph.D. 2006
Thesis Title: Transition Metal-Catalyzed Addition of Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen Nucleophiles to Unactivated Olefins
Current Position: Xiaoqing is currently a research scientist at Merck Pharmaceuticals in Rahway, NJ.
Laurel Goj, Ph.D. 2004
Thesis Title: Mechanistic Studies of Palladium-Catalyzed Diene Carbocyclization
Current Position: Laurel is currently Associate Professor of Chemistry at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL.
Xiang Silas Wang, Ph.D. 2004
Thesis Title: Cyclization/Hydrosilylation of Functionalized Dienes and Diynes Catalyzed by Cationic Late Transition-Metal Complexes and Catalytic Addition of Carbon and Nucleophiles to Unactivated Olefins
Current Position: Silas is currently a research scientist at Gilead Sciences.
Nick Perch, Ph.D. 2003
Thesis Title: Development of Enantioselective Methodology for, and Mechanistic Investigation of Palladium-Catalyzed Cyclization/Hydrosilylation of Functionalized Dienes
Current Position:
Tao Pei, Ph.D. 2002
Thesis Title: I: Palladium-Catalyzed Diene Cyclization/Hydrosilylation Employing Disiloxanes and Benzhydryldimethylsilane. II: Palladium-Catalyzed Alkylation of Unactivated Olefins
Current Position: Tao is currently a senior scientist at Merck Pharmaceuticals in Rahway, NJ.
Carmine Stengone, M.S. 1999
Thesis Title: Palladium-Catalyzed Cyclization/Hydrosilylation of Functionalized 1,6- and 1,7-Dienes to Form Five- and Six-Membered Carbocycles
Current Position: Carmine is currently vice president of corporate development at Afraxis, Inc.
Postdocs and Visiting Scientists
Dr. Michele Tragni (2010-2011)
Background/Project: Michele was a visiting Ph.D. student from Marco Bandini’s group at the University of Bologna supported through a Marco Polo Fellowship. In our group, Michele worked on the intermolecular, enantioselective hydroamination of allenes.
Dr. Atsushi Sugie (2009-2010)
Background/Project: Atsushi received his Ph. D. 2009 from Kobe University under the supervision of Professor Atsunori Mori. Atsushi worked in our lab as a JSPS fellow on the synthesis and study of cationic gold allene complexes.
Current Position: Atsushi is currently Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Kobe University.
Dr. Hao Li (2008-2009)
Background/Project: Hao received his Ph. D. from the University of New Mexico and in our group he worked on the intramolecular hydroamination of allenes and alkenes with ureas.
Current Position: Hao is currently Associate Professor of Chemistry at the East China University of Science and Technology.
Dr. Rachel Witek (2007-2008)
Background/Project: Rachel received her Ph. D. from the University of Florida and in our group worked on the enantioselective hydroamination of alkenes.
Current Position: Rachel is currently a staff scientist at Life Technologies.
Dr. Sasha Stankovich (2000-2001)
Background/Project: Sasha received his Ph.D. from Iowa State University with James Espenson.
Current Position: Sasha is currently a research chemist at Milliken & Company.
Dr. Philip Kisanga (1999-2000)
Background/Project: Philip received his Ph.D. from Iowa State University with John Verkade. In our group he worked on the palladium-catalyzed cycloisomerization of dienes.
Current Position: Philip is currently a research scientist at Albany Molecular Research, Inc.
Dr. Karel Base (1999-2000)
Current Position: Karel is currently a Senior Research Associate in the Department of Radiology at Duke University.
Dr. Bozenna Krzyzanowska (1998-1999)
Current Position: Bozenna is currently employed as Laboratory Preparator in the Chemistry Department of Duke University.
