© J. van Wijngaarden 2024
York
University
recognizes
that
many
Indigenous
Nations
have
longstanding
relationships
with
the
territories
upon
which
York
University
campuses
are
located
that
precede
the
establishment
of
York
University.
York
University acknowledges
its
presence
on
the
traditional
territory
of
many
Indigenous
Nations.
The
area
known
as
Tkaronto
has
been
care
taken
by
the
Anishinabek
Nation,
the
Haudenosaunee
Confederacy,
and
the
Huron-Wendat.
It
is
now
home
to
many
First
Nation,
Inuit
and
Métis
communities.
We acknowledge
the
current
treaty
holders,
the
Mississaugas
of
the Credit
First
Nation. This territory is subject of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement to peaceably share and care for the Great Lakes region.
research
Probing the energy landscapes of molecules The energies of molecular motions, such as rotation and vibration, are unique fingerprints of a compound. With support from modern compuational chemistry methods, we apply state-of-the-art ultrahigh resolution spectroscopic techniques to probe the lowest energy motions of molecules. Spectra recorded in the far- infrared region using synchrotron light from the Canadian Light Source provide measures of molecular vibrations with unprecedented detail while our custom- built microwave spectrometers at the University of Manitoba shed light on rotations and molecular re-arrangements. Our research fits under a number of diverse themes including (but not limited to):
Driving forces of conformational equilibria
You
probably
remember
from
your
introductory
chemistry
classes
that
molecules
can
adopt
different
geometries
depending
on
their
arrangement
around
single
and
double
bonds,
but
did
you
know
that
each
form
has
its
own
distinct
rotational
spectrum?
For
diallylamine
,
for
example,
we
have
shown
that
there
are
42
possible
geometries
depending
on
the
positions
of
the
two
side
chains
relative
to
the
central
NH
functional
group.
We
identified
spectral
fingerprints
of
the
four
lowest
energy
forms
and
found
that
the
rich
conformational
mixture
is
a
result
of
a
careful
balance of hyperconjugative and steric effects.
Astrochemical signatures
Did
you
know
that
astronomers
use
microwave
and
infrared
spectra
to
identify
new
species
in
space?
We
generate
potential
candidates
in
the
lab
such
as
HCCNCS
and
HCCCCNCS
using
high
voltage
electric
discharge
sources
and
record
their
microwave
and
infrared
spectra
for
inclusion
in
astronomy
catalogs.
Each
new
detection
in
space
provides
another
piece
in
the
puzzle
of
the
chemical
evolution
of the Universe.
Microsolvation
Did
you
ever
consider
how
the
properties
of
a
molecule
change
when
solvent
molecules
pack
around
it?
Our
spectra
help
us
identify
the
lowest
energy
binding
sites
for
solvent,
which
conformers
are
more
easily
solvated
and
the
dynamics
of
the
solvent-solute
interaction.
In
our
study
of
the
microsolvation
of
thiophene
,
for
example,
we
identified
two
facile
tunnelling
motions
involving
the
water
hopping
across the ring and rotating about its symmetry axis.
vW Research Lab
© J. van Wijngaarden 2024
research
Probing the energy landscapes of molecules The energies of molecular motions, such as rotation and vibration, are unique fingerprints of a compound. With support from modern compuational chemistry methods, we apply state-of-the-art ultrahigh resolution spectroscopic techniques to probe the lowest energy motions of molecules. Spectra recorded in the far-infrared region using synchrotron light from the Canadian Light Source provide measures of molecular vibrations with unprecedented detail while our custom-built microwave spectrometers at the University of Manitoba shed light on rotations and molecular re-arrangements. Our research fits under a number of diverse themes including (but not limited to):
Driving forces of conformational
equilibria
You
probably
remember
from
your
introductory
chemistry
classes
that
molecules
can
adopt
different
geometries
depending
on
their
arrangement
around
single
and
double
bonds,
but
did
you
know
that
each
form
has
its
own
distinct
rotational
spectrum?
For
diallylamine
,
for
example,
we
have
shown
that
there
are
42
possible
geometries
depending
on
the
positions
of
the
two
side
chains
relative
to
the
central
NH
functional
group.
We
identified
spectral
fingerprints
of
the
four
lowest
energy
forms
and
found
that
the
rich
conformational
mixture
is
a
result
of
a
careful
balance
of
hyperconjugative
and steric effects.
Astrochemical signatures
Did
you
know
that
astronomers
use
microwave
and
infrared
spectra
to
identify
new
species
in
space?
We
generate
potential
candidates
in
the
lab
such
as
HCCNCS
and
HCCCCNCS
using
high
voltage
electric
discharge
sources
and
record
their
microwave
and
infrared
spectra
for
inclusion
in
astronomy
catalogs.
Each
new
detection
in
space
provides
another
piece
in
the
puzzle
of
the chemical evolution of the Universe.
Microsolvation
Did
you
ever
consider
how
the
properties
of
a
molecule
change
when
solvent
molecules
pack
around
it?
Our
spectra
help
us
identify
the
lowest
energy
binding
sites
for
solvent,
which
conformers
are
more
easily
solvated
and
the
dynamics
of
the
solvent-solute
interaction.
In
our
study
of
the
microsolvation
of
thiophene
,
for
example,
we
identified
two
facile
tunnelling
motions
involving
the
water
hopping
across
the
ring
and
rotating
about its symmetry axis.
vW Research Lab