Directory: Faculty
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Peter J. StangORGANIC CHEMISTRYDistinguished Professor B.S., 1963, DePaul University Phone: (801) 581-8329 Office: 2214 HEB-N Email: Stang@chem.utah.edu |
Activities & Awards
- Foreign Member, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 2007
- ACS Award for Creative Research and Applications of Iodine Chemistry, 2007
- Linus Pauling Medal, 2006
- Foreign Member, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2006
- Editor, JACS, 2002-present.
- Fellow, American Academy of Arts & Sciences
- Member, National Academy of Sciences.
- Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2000-2001
- ACS George A. Olah Award in Hydrocarbon or Petroleum Chemistry, 2003.
- Member, AAAS Board of Directors, 2003-2007
- Robert W. Parry Teaching Award, 2000
- ACS James Flack Norris Award in Physical Organic Chemistry, 1998
- University of Utah Rosemblatt Prize for Excellence, 1995
- Utah Award in Chemistry, American Chemical Society, 1994
- The Governor's Medal for Science and Technology, 1993
- Honorary Doctorate of Science (D. Sc. honoris causa) Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia 1992
- Fulbright Senior Scholar, 1987-1988
- Univ. of Utah Distinguished Research Award, 1987
- Fellow AAAS, JSPS Fellow 1985, 1998
- Lady Davis Visiting Professor, Technion, Israel, 1986, 1997
- Humboldt "Senior U.S. Scientist" Award, 1977, 1996
- Associate Editor, Journal of the American Chemical Society 1982-1999
- 1985 National Organic Symposium Executive Officer
Research Interests
The primary focus of our current research is molecular architecture and supramolecular chemistry via self-assembly. The motif used to construct supramolecular species is coordination and chelation to form discrete molecular entitites with well defined geometries and shapes. We are particularly interested in the assembly of various polygons and polyhedra. To build these supramolecular species one needs only units that provide the proper angles at the corners and hence shape and appropriate di and tritopic connectors.
Illustrative examples are:

The ultimate goal of this research is the rapid assembly of nanoscale molecular devices for practical applications such as information storage, artificial photosynthetic devices, etc. Short term interest includes uses in molecular recognition, chiral recognition, host-guest interactions, catalysis, enantoselective catalysis, etc.
We also retain an interest and some research activity in unsaturated reactive intermediates such as vinyl cations, 9, unsaturated carbenes, 10, 11, polyvalent organoiodine chemistry, 12, and alkynyl ester chemistry, 13-15. Finally, through PQQ-sequestering via iodonium salts, as well as protease and phosphotriesterase inhibition via alkynyl esters we have some interest in biochemistry.

Selected Publications
(440 total publications including 7 monographs and 3 dozen reviews)
- From Solvolysis to Self-Assembly, P.J. Stang, J. Org. Chem. 2009, 74, 2-20.
- Surface Confined Metallosupramolecular Architectures: Formation and STM Characterization, S.S. Li; B.H. Northrop, Q.H. Yuan, L.J. Wan, P.J. Stang, Accounts, Chem. Res. 2009, 42, 249-259.
- Direct and Quantitative Characterization of Dynamic Ligand Exchange Between Coordination-Driven Self-Assembled Supramolecular Polygons, Y.R. Zheng, P.J. Stang, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 3487-3489.
- Self-Organization of a Self-Assembled Supramolecular Rectangle, Square and Three-Dimensional Cage on Au(III) Surfaces, Q.H. Yuan, L.J. Wan, H. Jude, P.J. Stang, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 16279-16286.
- X-Ray Diffraction and DOSY-NMR Characterization of Self-Assembled Supramolecular Metallocyclic Species in Solution., T. Megyes, H. Jude, T. Grosz, I. Bako, T. Radnai, G. Tarkaayi, G. Palinkas, P.J. Stang, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 10731-10738.
- Coordination-Driven Self-Assembly of Predesigned Supramolecular Triangles, Y.K. Kryschenko, S.R. Seidel, A.M. Arif, P.J. Stang, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 5193-5198.
- High Symmetry Coordination Cages via Self-Assembly, S.R. Seidel, P.J. Stang, Accounts Chem. Res. 2002, 35, 972-983.
- Self-Assembly of Nanoscopic Coordination Cages of D3H Symmetry, C.J. Kuehl, Y.K. Kryschenko, U. Radhakrishnan, S.R. Seidel, S.D. Huang, P.J. Stang. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 2002, 4932-4936.
- Archimedean Solids: Transition Metal Mediated Rational Self-assembly of Truncated Supramolecular Tetrahedra, S. Leininger, J. Fan, M. Schmitz, P.J. Stang, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 2000, 97, 1380-1384.
- Self-assembly of Discrete Cyclic Nanostructures Mediated by Transition Metals, B. Olenyuk, S. Leininger, P.J. Stang, Chem. Rev. 2000, 100, 853-907.
- Self-Assembly of Nanoscopic Dodecahedra from 50 Predesigned Components, B. Olenyuk, M.D. Levin, J.A. Whiteford, J.E. Shield, P.J. Stang, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1999, 121, 10434-10435.
- Self-Assembly of Nanoscale Cuboctahedra by Coordination Chemistry, B. Olenyuk, J.A. Whiteford, A. Fechtenkotter, P.J. Stang, Nature 1999, 398, 796-799.



