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Our Research
Current research in the field of Main Group chemistry provides substantial insight into the way molecules are held together (chemical structure and bonding). This greatly assists in the assessment of such compounds as useable materials. Although investigations of this type are primarily an academic study, many of the results have translated into substantial economic benefit. Main group elements are playing increasingly prominent roles in electronic materials, pharmaceuticals and new polymers. The benefits for the construction of new main group element compounds are two fold: (a) an increased understanding of the fundamentals of structure, bonding and reactivity; and (b) this knowledge can be used to assess potential applications for value-added products. In this context, the isolation of new compounds that contain charged main group centres, or main group centres in unconventional bonding arrangements are desirable because of their high reactivity. Our research program centres on investigating the fundamental chemistry of a variety of main group elements, as well as developing the potential new applications of our findings. Within this common theme, three sub areas have emerged and we are defining new directions in (a) The identification and application of unusual chalcogen compounds (Chalcogen = S, Se, Te); (b) Synthesis and applications of ionophilic materials: Ionic liquids with unusual functionalities; and, (c) The synthesis of unprecedented neutral, strained, main group element bridged cobaltoarenophane complexes.
Right now in the lab.....
We've developed a optically switchable molecule that has a visible colour change - and bound it to a polymer, creating photoswitchable colour-changing coatings.
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Our polymeric self-assembly work is coming along nicely, with cobalt-containing organometallic/organic block co-polymers forming spherical and rod-like micelles.
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UV-cured films formed from polymerizable phosphonium cations and (also polymerizable) borate cations are demonstrating excellent toughness and durability.
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Publications
(Only previous two years are listed; graphical abstracts follow citations)
67. R. Guterman, M. Hesari, M. S. Workentin and P. J. Ragogna* "Harnessing the Solution Properties of Au25 in the Solid State: Exploiting the Ion Exchange Chemistry of a Novel Photocurable Phosphonium Support" Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2012, (Submitted August, 2012; Communication).
66. T. C. Corkery, B. M. Berven, R. Guterman, H.-Y. Nie, E. R. Gillies, M. J. Idacavage and P. J. Ragogna* "Incorporating Micro- and Nanoparticles to Improve the Hydrophobicity of Thin Films Made From UV-cureable Phosphonium Salts" J. Mat. Chem., 2012, (Submitted July, 2012; Full Paper).
65. B. M. Berven, R. Oviasuyi, R. J. Klassen, M. J. Idacavage and P. J. Ragogna* "Self crosslinking Borate Anions for the Production of Tough, UV-cured Polyelectrolyte Surfaces" J. Polym. Sci. A, 2012, (Under revision as of August, 2012; Full Paper).
64. J. W. Dube, C. L. B. Macdonald and P. J. Ragogna* "Accessing the Coordination Chemistry of Phosphorous(I) Zwitterions" Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., (Under revision as of August, 2012; Communication).
63. S. Ghiassian, H. Ismaili, B. D. W. Lubbock, J. W. Dube, P. J. Ragogna and M. S. Workentein* "Photoinduced Carbene Generation from Diazirine Modified Task Specific Phosphonium Salts To Prepare Robust Hydrophobic Coatings" Langmuir, 2012, 28(33), 12326-12333 (Full Paper).
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62. J. W. Dube, M. Hanninen, J. L. Dutton, H. Tuononen and P. J. Ragogna* "Homoleptic Pnictogen-Calcogen Coordination Complexes" Inorg. Chem., 2012, 51, 8897-8903 (Full Paper).
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61. E. Magdzinski, P. Gobbo, C. D. Martin, M. S. Workentin and P. J. Ragogna* "The Synthesis and Electrochemical Studies of a Ferrocene Substituted Diiminopyridine Ligand and Its P, S, Se, and Te Complexes" Inorg. Chem., 2012, 51(15), 8425-8433 (Full Paper).
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60. J. T. Price, N. D. Jones and P. J. Ragogna* "An N-Heterocyclic Carbene Containing a Bithiophene Backbone: Synthesis and Coordination Chemistry" Inorg. Chem., 2012, 51, 6776-6783 (Full Paper).
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59. J. W. Dube and P. J. Ragogna* "1.24 Low Valent Centers, Group 16", in Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry II, Ed. Kenneth Poppelmeier, 2012, Book Chapter (75 pages, 273 references).
58. A. L. Brazeau, N. D. Jones and P. J. Ragogna* "Chemistry of the Heavy Group 15 Elements with the Pyridyl Tethered 1,2-bis(imino)acenapthene "Clamshell" Ligand" Dalton Trans., 2012, Advance Article, Online as of March 2nd (Full Paper).
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57. A. L. Brazeau, M. Hanninen, H. Tuononen, N. D. Jones and P. J. Ragogna* "Synthesis, Reactivity and Computational Analysis of Halophosphines Supported by Dianionic Guanidinate Ligands" J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2012, 134, 5398-5414 (Full Paper).
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56. C. D. Martin and P. J. Ragogna* "Reactions of Diiminopyridine Ligands with Chalcogen Halides" Inorg Chem., 2012, 51, 2947-2953 (Full Paper).
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55. J. T. Price, M. Lui, N. D. Jones and P. J. Ragogna* "Group 15 pnictenium cations supported by a conjugated bithiophene backbone" Inorg. Chem., 2011, 50, 12810-12817 (Full Paper).
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54. J. Weaver, D. Breadner, F. Deng, B. Ramjee, P. J. Ragogna, R. Murray* "Electrochemistry of Ferrocene‐Functionalized Phosphonium Ionic Liquids" J. Phys. Chem. B, 2011, 115, 19379-19385 (Full Paper).
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53. C. D. Martin and P. J. Ragogna*, "Substitution Matters: Isolating Phosphorus Diiminopyridine Complexes" Dalton Trans., 2011, 11976-11980 (Full Paper).
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52. C. D. Martin and P. J. Ragogna*, "Oxygen, Sulfur, Selenium, Tellurium and Polonium" Annu. Rep. Prog. Chem., Sect. A, 2011, 107, 1, 110-124 (Review).
51. P. Chadha and P. J. Ragogna*, "Side Chain Co(I) Polymers Featuring Acrylate Functinalized Neutral 18 Electron CpCoC4R4 (R = Ph, Me) Units" Chem. Commun., 2011, 47, 5301-5303 (Communication).
50. A. L. Brazeau, A. S. Nikouline and P. J. Ragogna*, "A Base-stabilized Arsenic(III) Dication" Chem. Commun., 2011, 47, 4817-4819 (Communication).
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49. J. L. Dutton and P. J. Ragogna*, "Recent Developments in the Synthesis and Isolation of P-block Centered Polycations" Coord. Chem. Rev., 2011, 255, 1414-1425 (Review).
Please contact PJR for his full C.V.
People
Group Summer 2012
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Postdoctoral Fellows |
Chris Corkery Born and raised in Winnipeg, Canada, Chris graduated from Kelvin High School and immediately went to the University of Manitoba. After some dallying in philosophy, he decided that science was for him and obtained a degree majoring in chemistry and biology. This was followed by a couple of years working for a drug company, then the return to university (this time the University of Winnipeg) where he did an MSc degree in organometallic and optical polymer chemistry. He then moved to Canberra, Australia to undertake PhD studies at the Australian National University. After finishing his degree (working at the boundary of chemistry and physcs on nonlinear optical materials), he returned to Canada and joined Prof. Ragogna's group to make some water-repelling films. Chris is happiest when making things, although he can be lured away from the lab by good concerts, soccer, camping and beer. |
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Brad Berven Brad Berven hails from Perth, Western Australia and completed his PhD in Chemistry there in 2006 under Professor George Koutsantonis, at the University of Western Australia. He was creating highly-fluorous transition metal compounds for catalysis in supercritical CO2. A trip to Banff after the PhD gave him a taste of Canada, and after a few years in industry in Perth he took a post-doc in the Ragogna Lab. He now makes fluorinated phosphonium salts and on the way plays with plenty of PH3, which is fun (and safe!). He also dabbles in the art of making polymeric films with a variety of properties. In his spare time he enjoys sampling the best beers that Ontario has to offer, cooking, basketball, snowboarding, and dancing to disco. |
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Yuqing Liu Born in North China, he earned a B.S degree at Beijing University of Chemical Technology and a Masters degree at Tsinghua University, majoring in polymer material science and engineering. Then he went to the University of Akron, U.S., to pursue a Ph.D. in polymer engineering. He studied in Prof. Cavicchi's group for synthesis of functional block copolymers, especially amphiphilic ionic block copolymers, as well as their applications. After completing his PhD, he came to Canada and joined Prof. Ragogna's group to study synthesis and self-assembly of novel functional block copolymers containing phosphonium salts or metallocene groups. Besides experiments, he enjoys hiking, cooking, new age and country music and delicious foods. |
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Graduate Students |
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Jackie Price Jackie was born in Richmond Hill, a town just north of Toronto. She obtained her Master's degree at Western working for Dr. Nathan Jones studying the electrochemiluminescence of new thiophene containing compounds and she is currently pursuing her doctorate with pjr. She is currently working on ways to incorporate main group elements into new and unusual bonding arrangements. When not in the lab, Jackie enjoys spinning classes, inner tube water polo and watching The Young and the Restless. |
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Jonathan Dube Jonathan, aka "Dube", was born and raised way out in the boondocks, Kingsville, Ontario (pop. 6000), Canada’s most southern mainland town. He completed his undergraduate degree under the supervision of Maingroup Professor extraordinaire, Chuck Macdonald at the University of Windsor. Still yearning to break free of the country Jon ventured further than most Kingsvillians ever have: London, Ontario to do research with Professor Paul Ragogna. Over the course of his M.Sc. Jonathan has had his hands full with phosphonium ionic liquids and intends to use them as metal extractants. In addition to rocking one hell of a stache, Jon's non-chemistry interests include music with the volume cranked, Detroit sports, pepsi, playing baseball, bowling, trivia at the grad club, Degrassi Junior High, and the odd weekend pint. |
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Ryan Guterman Ryan was born in Thornhill, Ontario, just North of Toronto. During his undergraduate years he worked under the supervision of Dr. Oleg Semenikhin working with organic photovoltaics and AFM characterization. For his graduating year he worked under the supervision of Dr. Mark Workentin investigating the properties of excited ketone triplet states in various gold nanoparticles using time-resolved spectroscopy. Currently he is working on his MSc investigating the use of polymerizable fluorinated inoic liquids for hydrophobic coatings using UV light with Dr. Paul Ragogna and Dr. Beth Gillies. In his spare time he enjoys lifting heavy objects, playing various genres of music on guitar and plotting to take over the world. |
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Maboubeh Hadadpour Mahboubeh is from Tehran, the capital of Iran. She moved to Canada (Toronto) in 2008 as a permanent resident. She got some experience in inorganic chemistry at U of T as a research assistant in Dr. Song's lab. Then moved to London to do M.Sc. in field of material chemistry under the supervision of Prof. Workentin. To touch other aspects of chemistry, she joined Prof. Ragogna's group as a PhD candidate to work on metalopolymers. If later on she can't find a job as a chemist, she will be happy to be professional chef! She enjoys cooking, and loves cats… |
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Eleanor Magdzinski Eleanor was born in the lively city of montreal. Soon after birth, her family moved to Wilmington Delaware, where she spent the majority of her childhood growing up and playing soccer. At the age of 14, her family moved yet again, this time to the municipality of North Bay, Ontario's real gateway to the north. She attended her four years of highschool there, during which time she sparked an interest in the sciences. After graduating highschool, she head off down south, to the University of Western Ontario. Her interst for the sciences narrowed to the field of chemistry, for which she has a growing passion for. Curently she is continuing in her third year of studies in the Honors Spec. Chemistry major in hopes of one day obtaining her PhD. In her spare time she enjoys reading, going for runs, cooking, and spending time with her roommates dancing to lil wayne. |
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Jeremie Goguen From the small village of Notre-Dame, N. B. comes Jeremie Goguen. Born and raised int the Maritimes, Jeremie didn't stray far from home to complete his bachelors in chemistry. Working with Dr. Steve Westcott at Mount Allison University in Sackville, Jeremie obtained his honours synthesizing novel arylspiroborate esters (potentially friendly wood preservatives). Having travelled far from home, Jeremie is working with Paul on investigating p-block molecules containing phosphenium cations that, he hopes, will led to the completion of his MSc. When not busy in the lab, Jeremie enjoys a cold beer, fine literature and board games with friends. |
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Tyler Cuthbert Born and raised in Omemee, Ontario, Tyler left home at 16 and moved to Sault Ste. Marie to play in the Ontario Hockey League for the Soo Greyhounds. After a four-year stint in the Soo, Tyler moved to Halifax, NS to study chemistry and play hockey for the Saint Mary's University Huskies. During his time at SMU, he became a summer research assistant of Dr. Robert Singer in the Singer Group, studying the formation of an abnormal N-heterocyclic carbene-palladium complex from a task-specific ionic liquid. Instead of moving further away from home again, Tyler decided to move back to Ontario and found Western University a good fit, researching UV-cured films for use as antimicrobial surfaces. Tyler will also be using his last year of varsity hockey eligibility to play for the Mustangs hockey team - one last kick at the can. In his minimal spare time you'll find Tyler out on some gnarly single track on his mountain bike, hitting the long ball on the golf course, playing squash or carving up a slalom water ski course. |
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2012 Summer Research Students |
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Richard Hazlehurst Currently a Western undergrad heading into his 4th year of Honours Specialization in Chemistry, Richard is a summer student in the lab. His summer project is involved in determining the conditions for creating nanometer thick coatings of UV-curable ionic liquids using spin coating, with electrochemical applications. Richard comes from a place just south of London called Chatham-Kent. Interests outside of the lab include playing and watching many different sports (hockey most importantly !), outdoor activities (biking, hiking, and swimming), playing some video games, and just relaxing listening to some good music. |
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Brian Malbrecht Born and raised in southwestern Ontario, Brian has been in London since grade school. He had his first taste of research with Beth Gillies working for a summer on self-immolative polymers. Having decided that four months was not nearly enough he then took a year off of school to complete an internship with Chemtura Canada Co./Cie working on different synthetic organic projects. Returning to Western, he was co-opted into the world of p-block chemistry and has ensconced himself firmly in Group 13. Aside from chemistry, Brian enjoys rocks, trees, water, and combinations thereof. |
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Sarah Weicker Sarah hails from North Vancouver, British Columbia. After realizing she had a passion for science during high school, she chose to study chemistry as an undergraduate student at UBC. Through the Inorganic Chemistry Exchange, Sarah came to Western as a summer student to explore main group chemistry. In her spare time, Sarah loves going for walks, listening to music, learning to play the guitar, and trying new vegetarian food. |
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Former Postdoctoral Fellows |
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Mark Ingratta (2010) Researcher with Lanxess, Inc. |
Fanguo Deng (2009 - 2011)
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Vladimir Romakh (2010)
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Former Graduate Students |
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Allison Brazeau (PhD 2012) Postdoctoral Fellow at Queens University with Suning Wang |
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Caleb Martin (PhD 2012) Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Southern California, Riverside with Guy Bertrand |
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Preeti Chadha (PhD 2011) Postdoctoral Fellow at Macmaster University with David Emslie |
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Jonathan Dube (MSc 2010) PhD Candidate with Paul Ragogna - see above |  |
Jason Dutton (PhD 2010) Lecturer at La Trobe University Melbourne, Australia |
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Jocelyn Tindale (PhD 2009) Research Scientist with GABAE Developments |
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Former Undergraduate Students |
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Anton Nikouline |
Katie Mouland |
Melanie Lui |
Gregory Farrar |
Kevin Venus |
Annelise Beaton |
Sara Accardi |
Jason Dutton |
Alec Grose |
Dan Breadner |
Christine Le |
Erin Gray |
Taylor Battista |
Raymond Tabeshi |
Michael Sgro |
David Hall |
Joseph Chan |
Eleanor Magdzinski |
Brett Lubbock |
Liz Wilson |
Alisha Greer |
Victoria Karner |
Melanie Lui |
Brian Malbrecht |
Scott Middlemiss |
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Our Funding and Support
Discovery Grants Program Research Tools and Instrumentation Strategic Projects Grant (with Cytec) Engage (with 3M) |
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Group Events
Golf Tournament Winners! - Summer 2012
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The Cottage - Summer 2011
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