Around the world and here in Tulsa, scientists are on a quest to make chemistry greener. “The term ‘green chemistry’ refers to attempts to reduce the amount of waste produced in chemical processes, thereby making them more environmentally sustainable and efficient,” explained Angus Lamar, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry.
Working in collaboration with Professor of Chemistry Gordon Purser and several undergraduate researchers, Lamar’s team developed a method for modifying aromatic compounds using trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA). An atom-efficient, inexpensive chlorinating agent, TCCA is a reagent that can transfer all three of its chlorine atoms, thus producing less waste than many other agents. This new approach transforms a variety of chemical structures while maintaining compatibility with green solvents, reducing waste, and lessening environmental impact.
Lamar and his co-researchers published their findings in Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry earlier this year. “With over 25 successful examples, our study showcases the versatility of this method in creating valuable intermediates for further chemical reactions,” he reported. “Our results also provide new insights into how these reactions work at a molecular level.”
Lamar took the first steps on this project during a sabbatical leave in 2023, which he spent working with Daniele Leonori – an expert in nitrogen-centered radical chemistry – at RWTH Aachen University in Germany. His time overseas was supported, in part, by a Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst grant for international university researchers.
After returning to Tulsa, Lamar’s research group, including undergraduates Jenna Caudle, Marlow Ennis, and Audrey Iskandar, built upon this foundation.
“This project has such a broad impact, both for the members of the research team and for the chemistry world. Being able to work with Dr. Lamar and conduct significant research as an undergraduate is an incredibly enriching experience. As a member of the Lamar lab, I not only learned fundamental lab skills, but also learned how to think like a chemist,” Caudle said. “Green chemistry as a field is growing – not just in the U.S., but all around the world. I was fortunate to be able to work on a green chemistry project while in France, and it was exciting to be able to return to TU and continue a similar path with Dr. Lamar.”
One of the members of that team and a co-author on the Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry article was Dillon Dodge (B.S. ’24), currently a doctoral student in physical chemistry at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. “Professor Lamar’s project was my first real dive into research, so it holds an important role in getting me to where I am today,” Dodge remarked. “It enabled me to be trained on and use instruments such as nuclear magnetic resonance, rotary evaporator, Schlenk line, and manual columns. Those and other related experiences gave me the skills to think and the confidence to act like an independent scientist.”
Lamar and his co-investigators believe their advancement using TCCA to modify aromatic compounds “could lead to more cost-effective, sustainable production methods in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.” They foresee potential applications in an array of other endeavors, including drug discovery and manufacturing.
In order to continue this promising research, Lamar, Purser and their co-principal investigator Associate Professor of Biochemistry Robert Sheaff recently submitted proposals for funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. These proposals are currently in review.