Virginia Tech Department of Chemistry   Directory Contact Us Site Map  
  Prof. Karen J. Brewer
HomeMain Menu
 




Prof. Karen J. Brewer
Associate Professor, Inorganic Chemistry
E-mail: kbrewer@vt.edu
Office: 1105 Hahn Hall
Phone: 540-231-6579
Fax: 540-231-3255
Group Web Pages: http://www.chem.vt.edu/chem-dept/brewer/brewer.html
Research Video Clip http://www.chem.vt.edu/faculty/videos/Brewer.wmv

Education

B.S. 1983 Wofford College (Spartanburg, SC)
Ph.D. 1987 Clemson University
Postdoctoral Fellow 1987-1988 University of California Berkeley

Research Interests

Our research is aimed at the design, development and synthesis of novel mixed-metal transition metal complexes with applications to molecular devices, anticancer agents, catalysis and photochemical energy storage.

Current projects include:
  • The development of second generation molecular devices for photoinitiated electron collection,
  • The invention of new photoactivated anticancer agents,
  • The development of electrode immobilized catalysts for the catalytic reduction of carbon dioxide, and
  • The detailed analysis of the spectroscopic, electrochemical and photochemical properties of supramolecular mixed-metal complexes.
Research in chemical education includes the development of integrated molecular modeling, synthesis and spectroscopy laboratories for the undergraduate chemistry curriculum.

Selected Publications

  1. Design Aspects for the Development of Mixed-Metal Supramolecular Complexes Capable of Visible Light Induced Photocleavage of DNA, Alvin A. Holder, Shawn Swavey, and Karen J. Brewer, Inorg. Chem. 2004, 43, 303-308.
  2. Bridging Ligands, Shawn Swavey, Karen J. Brewer, Comprehensive Coord. Chem. II, 2003, Vol. 1, 135-157.
  3. Synthesis, Characterization and DNA Binding Properties of a Series of Ru,Pt Mixed-Metal Complexes, R. Lee Williams, H. Nathaniel Toft, Brenda Winkel, Karen J. Brewer, Inorg. Chem. 2003, 42, 4394-4400.
  4. Visible Light Induced Photocleavage of DNA by a Mixed-Metal Supramolecular Complex: [{(bpy)2Ru(dpp)}2RhCl2]5+, Shawn Swavey and Karen J. Brewer, Inorg. Chem. 2002, 41, 6196-6198.
  5. Synthesis and Study of Ru,Rh,Ru Triads: Modulation of Orbital Energies in a Supramolecular Architecture, Shawn Swavey and Karen J. Brewer, Inorg. Chem. 2002, 41, 4044-4050.
  6. Mixed-Metal Supramolecular Complexes Coupling Phosphine Containing Ru(II) Light Absorbers to a Reactive Pt(II) through Polyazine Bridging Ligands, Shawn Swavey, Zhenglai Fang, Karen J. Brewer, Inorg. Chem. 2002, 41, 2598-2607.


VT People Search:




Search:

Entire Web Virginia Tech Chemistry Department
Search powered by Google
   

Home
About the Department
News & Events
Faculty & Staff
Graduate Program
Undergraduate Program
Class Information
Directory
Contact Us
Search
Site Map
 
Faculty List by Name

Faculty List by Research Area

Research Centers Directory

Staff List by Name

Staff List by Center
   
VT

  © 2004 Virginia Tech Chemistry Department. Chair: Dr. Joseph Merola. Send all comments about this site to the webmaster.