Elise G. Megehee

Elise G. Megehee

B.S., University of Rochester, Rochester
M.S., University North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Ph.D., University North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Associate Professor

Research Interests:

I am interested in synthesizing and studying new rhodium compounds that exhibit luminescence. These compounds are of interest as possible reaction catalysts, both photochemical and electrochemical, as emissive DNA (nucleotide base) labels, and as probes of DNA structure. We have synthesized several new complexes and are currently characterizing their luminescence.

Research Projects Available:

  • Investigation of the luminescence, absorption, and electrochemistry of our current cis-[Rh(bpy)2(SS)]2+ systems, where bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine and SS = dialkyldithiocarbamates.
  • Luminescence spectroscopy studies of cis-[Rh(bpy)2(CN)2]+ to determine if the emission is pH dependent.
  • The synthesis of cis-[Rh(bpy)2(PP)]3+ complexes.The challenge here will be to find the best chelate lengtha four, five, or six membered ringand an alkyl group on the phosphine that will allow us to determine purity by 1H and 13C-NMR.
  • The synthesis of new cis-[Rh(bpy)2(SS)]+ systems, where SS = substituted 1,1- and 1,2-dithiolates. This will involve synthesis and purification of the ligands prior to synthesizing the metal compounds.
  • The synthesis of the cis-[Rh(bpy)2(bpp)]3+ complex where bpp = 2,3'-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazinea ligand that can bridge two metal centers. By attaching a [Ru(bpy)2]2+ unit to the bpp bridge we could explore intramolecular excited state electron transfer chemistry between the rhodium and ruthenium.

Contact Information :
Dr. Elise G. Megehee, Associate Professor
St. John's University, Department of Chemistry
8000 Utopia Parkway
Jamaica, NY 11439-0001

SAH Room 317
Hours: Mon. - Thurs., 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p. m.
Fri., 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Phone: (718) 990-5276
Fax: (718) 990-1876
E-Mail: megeheee@stjohns.edu