Academic Staff

Teaching Responsibilities

Teaching

• CHE4HONS Honours Chemistry

Research Expertise

We use the power of optical spectroscopy to explore the properties of molecules relevant to pharmaceutics, the atmosphere and even interstellar chemistry.

The following projects highlight aspects of our research.

The conformational shape of biomolecules, and their interactions with the surrounding environment including water are critical to their functioning. Laser-based gas phase spectroscopy combined with ab initio calculations generates precise molecular structural information on molecules such as neurotransmitters that provide a rigorous platform for understanding their behaviour and ultimately, rationalizing drug design.

High Resolution Infrared Spectroscopy conducted using a synchrotron source is used to obtain rovibrational properties of atmospheric molecules (allowing their IR absorption profiles to be modeled), and interstellar molecules (to aid in the identification of spectral lines found in radioastronomy).

Aerosols and nano-particulate clusters, formed by cooling under carefully controlled conditions, are also examined using FTIR spectroscopy.

Other research interests include computational chemistry, and alternative means of chemical analysis.

Recent Publication Highlights

“A spectroscopic study of nicotine analogue 2-phenylpyrrolidine (PPD) using R2PI, microwave and 2D NMR techniques”, D.E. Martin, E.G. Robertson, J.G. MacLellan, P.D. Godfrey, C.D. Thompson, R.J.S. Morrison, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 171, 2638-2646 (2009).

“Resonant 2-Photon ionisation study of the conformation and the binding of water molecules to 2-Phenylethanethiol (PhCH2CH2SH)”, D.E. Martin, E.G. Robertson, C. D. Thompson, R.J.S. Morrison, J. Chem. Phys. 128, 164301 (2008).

“Maximising rovibrational assignments in the ν1 band of NSCl by using Spectral Analysis by Subtraction of Simulated Intensities (SASSI)” E.G. Robertson, D. McNaughton, J. Mol. Spectrosc., 238, 56-63 (2006).