Associate Professor, Inorganic Chemistry

B.S. 1993, Eastern Michigan University
Ph.D. 1999, Iowa State University
Postdoctoral: 1999-2001, Kansas State University

Email: chamake@ilstu.edu
Phone: (309)438-7659
Office: 205 Science Laboratory Building

Research in the Hamaker group is currently focusing on coordination chemistry and catalysis. The research projects bridge the traditional areas of organic and inorganic chemistry, with exposure to analytical analysis techniques. There are two major projects currently under investigation: (1) the synthesis of new sulphur-containing Schiff-base ligands and their transition metal complexes; and (2) the synthesis, characterization, and use of transition-metal Schiff-base complexes as catalysts for organic transformations. The group also has active collaborations with faculty members in the departments of Biological Sciences and Agriculture here at ISU. The current projects will allow students to encounter many synthetic and analytical techniques. Modern spectroscopic techniques including NMR, IR, UV/vis, X-ray crystallography, and electrochemistry are used to characterize the new compounds. Additionally, chromatographic techniques including GC, GC/MS, TLC, and column chromatography are used for identification, quantification, and isolation of catalytic products.

Project 1: Synthesis of S-containing Schiff base ligands and their metal complexes. Our first project is the development of sulphur-containing Schiff-base ligands such as those pictured at the right for the synthesis of novel metal complexes. We are interested in characterizing these new ligands and their metal complexes. Potential uses include new photosensitive/photoreactive inorganic compounds, bipyridine substitutes, catalysts, and the synthesis of heavy-metal-removing polymeric materials. We are also interested in studying the structure/property relationships of our new metal complexes. Our group has synthesized several new monomeric and dimeric ruthenium complexes with the general formula [(η⁶-arene)RuCl(NS)][X]. We are exploring the electrochemical and catalytic properties of these complexes.

Project 2: Transition metal Schiff-base complexes as catalysts for organic transformations. The second project involves use of transition metal Schiff-base complexes, such as derivatives of (salen)V=O (salen = bis(salicylidene)imino derivatives), as catalysts for organic transformations. One class of compounds we are currently investigating are (salen)V=O complexes for the catalytic aziridination of imines. The complexes are air stable, good Lewis acids, and have been previously employed as asymmetric catalysts. Aziridines are valuable synthetic intermediates in natural product and amino acid syntheses. We are also investigating the use of ruthenium(II), platinum(II), palladium(II), and copper(I) complexes of our NS ligands as catalysts for a variety of organic transformations, including the synthesis of enol esters and cyclopropanes, the hydrogenation of ketones, and cross-coupling reactions.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

M. P. Weberski, C. G. Hamaker, C. C. McLauchlan "Synthesis and X-ray Structural Characterization of M(3,5-tBu2-salophen) (M = Cu, V=O)" Polyhedron, in press.

C. G. Hamaker and D. P. Halbach "Synthesis, Structure, and Characterization of Some Ruthenium Arene Complexes of N-(Arylmethylene)-2-(methylthio)anilines and 2-(Methylthio)aniline" Inorg. Chim. Acta, in press.

Moore, Aaron R.; Kwen, Haidoo; Hamaker, Christopher G.; Mohs, Thomas R.; Beatty, Alicia M.; Harmon, Bradley; Needham, Kale; Maatta, Eric A. "New classes of functionalized polyoxometalates: organo-nitrogen derivatives of Lindqvist systems" in Polyoxometalate Chemistry for Nano-Composite Design; Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York; N. Y; 2002; 129-138.

C.G. Hamaker, G.A. Mirafzal, and L.K. Woo, "Catalytic Cyclopro- panation with Iron(II) Complexes," Organo- metallics, 20 (2001) 5171.

C.G. Hamaker, J.-P. Djukic, D.A. Smith, and L. K. Woo, "Mechanism of Cyclopropanation Reactions Mediated by (5,10,15,20-Tetra-p- tolylporphyrinato)Os- mium(II) Complexes," Organometallics, 20 (2001) 5189.

J.R. Wolf, C.G. Hamaker, J-P. Djukic, T. Kodadek, and L.K. Woo, "Shape and Stereoselective Cyclopropanation of Alkenes Catalyzed by Iron Porphyrins: A Practical System for the Synthesis of anti-Cyclopropyl Esters," Journal of the American Chemical Society, 117 (1995) 9194.