Kevin Shea 

Associate Professor of Chemistry
Smith College

Group Webpage
 

Office:
Office Hours:
Phone:
Fax:
Email:		 Sabin-Reed 319
by appointment
(413) 585-4687
(413) 585-3786
kshea@email.smith.edu

EDUCATION
Ph. D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Organic Chemistry,  2000
Thesis: Studies on Polycyclic Unsaturated Compounds: 1. Synthesis and Properties of Cyclopenta[a]phenalenes 2. Synthesis of Substituted Azulenes
Advisor: Rick L. Danheiser

B.S. Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Chemistry, 1995
Advisor: James P. Dittami

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

Smith College, 2000-2007, Assistant Professor
Smith College, 2007-present, Associate Professor

Current C.V.

COURSES
CHM 111: Chemistry I: General Chemistry  
CHM 222: Chemistry II: Organic Chemistry I
CHM 223: Chemistry III: Organic Chemistry II 
CHM 226: Synthesis and Structural Analysis
CHM 321: Organic Synthesis
CHM 347: Instrumental Analysis
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Organic Chemistry - I use organic synthesis to investigate new methods for carbon-carbon bond formation and to develop syntheses of biologically active molecules. The goal of one methods-based project is to explore the scope of a novel combination of two known organometallic reactions, namely the Nicholas and Pauson-Khand reactions. Another project is focused on developing new dienes and dienophiles for use in the Diels-Alder reaction. Applications of this method include the development of a novel synthesis of steroids.  

RESEARCH STUDENTS

Honors Students

Josie Nakhla '03 (Currently at U. of Michigan with John Wolfe)
Christina Longo '04 (Currently at Yale with Scott Miller)
Miriam Quintal '04 (Currently at Harvard with Andy Myers)
Kristi Closser '07 (Currently at UC Berkeley with Martin Head-Gordon)
Kathryn Robinson '07 (Currently at Genentech)
Florina Voica '07 (Currently at Scripps with Phil Baran)
Seiko Fujii '08 (At U. of Illinois in Fall 2008)
Maureen Reilly '08 (At UC Irvine in Fall 2008)

Summer Students

Jen Breidenich '05
An Tran '05
Elizabeth Crawford '06
Amanda Freeman '06J
Mary Banks '07
Erin Davis '07
Lisa Rosenberg '07
Vida Chen '08
Kate Whitesell '08
Hannah Buettner '09
Rachel Dorset '10
Julie Olson '10
Farah Ousman '11

STRIDE/AEMES/Special Studies Students

Karin Lemkau '04 (Wesleyan University)
Liz Bosak '04 (Hampshire College)
Nicole Rosendale '05
Christina Lioce '08
Julia Wu '08
Amanda Lee '09
Keturah Edwards '11

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Shea, K. M. “Furans and benzo[b]furans,” In Palladium in Heterocyclic Chemistry: A Guide for the Synthetic Chemist; 2nd Ed., Li, J. J., Gribble, G. W., Eds.; Elsevier: Boston, MA, 2007; 303-344.

Shea, K. M.; Closser, K. D.; Quintal, M. M. “Nicholas Reactions with Carboxylic Acids for the Synthesis of Macrocyclic Diolides” J. Org. Chem. 2005, 70, 9088-9091.

Quintal, M. M.; Closser, K. D.; Shea, K. M. “Tandem Intramolecular Nicholas and Pauson-Khand Reactions for the Synthesis of Tricyclic Oxygen-Containing Heterocycles,” Org. Lett. 2004, 6, 4949-4952.

Crombie, A. L.; Kane, J. L., Jr.; Shea, K. M.; Danheiser, R. L. “Ring Expansion-Annulation Strategy for the Synthesis of Substituted Azulenes and Oligoazulenes. 2. Synthesis of Azulenyl Halides, Sulfonates, and Azulenylmetal Compounds and Their Application in Transition-Metal-Mediated Coupling Reactions,” J. Org. Chem. 2004, 69, 8652-8667.

Shea, K. M. “Feist-Bénary furan synthesis,” In Name Reactions in
Heterocyclic Chemistry; Li, J. J., Ed.; John Wiley & Sons: Hoboken, NJ,
2004; 160-167.

Shea, K. M. “Paal-Knorr furan synthesis,” In Name Reactions in
Heterocyclic Chemistry; Li, J. J., Ed.; John Wiley & Sons: Hoboken, NJ,
2004; 168-182.

Kane, J. L., Jr.; Shea, K. M.; Crombie, A., L.; Danheiser, R. L. "A Ring Expansion-Annulation Strategy for the Synthesis of Substituted Azulenes. Preparation and Suzuki Coupling Reactions of 1-Azulenyl Triflates," Org. Lett. 2001, 3, 1081-1084. 

Shea, K. M.; Lee, K., L.; Danheiser, R. L. "Synthesis and Properties of 9-Alkyl- and 9-Arylcyclopenta[a]phenalenes," Org. Lett. 2000, 2, 2353-2356.

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

American Chemical Society - organic division member

Sigma Xi

Council on Undergraduate Research

Tau Beta Pi
 
 
 


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