Free Radicals in Chemistry and Biology

Undergraduate

This is an advanced level course that covers the principle of radical generation and stabilization, and the foundations of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy for studying and characterizing free radicals. Experimental data, such as EPR spectra, will be used to probe the electronic structure of 564 Winter 2027 Undergraduate Calendar free radicals as well as provide local information on the coordination geometry for metal complexes including metallo-enzymes. A range of free radical reaction mechanisms will be surveyed, incorporating radical recombination reactions, radical abstraction reactions, radical addition reactions, and radical rearrangements. These will cover important chemical processes as well as examples drawn from biology including lipid peroxidation and lignin synthesis. (3 lecture hours per week) (Prerequisite: (Prerequisite: CHEM-2510 and CHEM-2310.) (May be offered as a cross-career course with CHEM-8520).