Thiel College - Academics




	Home ACS Student Affiliates Chemistry Resources Course Offerings Faculty Program Requirements		Academics > Majors and Areas of Study > Chemistry > Faculty > G. Rattan K. Khalsa, Ph. D. Professor of Chemistry Chair of the Chemistry Department Office: Academic Center 106 Telephone: 724-589-2049 (office) Fax: 724-589-2021 E-mail: G. R. K. Khalsa My research focuses on discovering combinations of metal oxides for harvesting sunlight to split water and generate hydrogen gas. Hydrogen is a green fuel that does not contribute to global warming. Researchers in my lab utilize a green laser or a white LED array to examine the ability of metal oxides to absorb visible light as semiconductors for producing hydrogen. Other areas of my research have included investigating small molecule interactions with transition metal complexes and the separation of metal ions from waste water streams by water-soluble polymer/filtration. Courses that I currently teach include General Chemistry I and II, Chemtech (for non-majors), Inorganic Chemistry, Biological Inorganic Chemistry, Advanced Topics in Inorganic Chemistry, Problems in Chemistry (Undergraduate Research), Chemical Literature, Chemistry Seminar. Educational Background B.S. in Chemistry, Phi Beta Kappa, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama Ph.D., Inorganic Chemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois Research Experience Unversity of Nevado, Reno in collaboration with (n,p) Energy Nevada, Inc.: Separation of metals from waste and drinking water by water-soluble polymer/filtration (with Dr. Barbara Smith and Patricia Robinson) Los Alamos National Laboratory during three sabbatical years and numerous summers: Extraction of fluoride and heavy metals from waste water streams by macrocyclic chelators; NMR titration studies (with Dr. Paul H. Smith). Selectivity of diphenyldithiocarbamate in americium(III)-europium(III) separations chemistry (with Dr. Gordon Jarvinen and Dr. Barbara F. Smith). Sonochemistry of high explosives, TNT, DNT, and toxic wastes, PCP's; analysis by mass spectrometry and gas chromatography (with Dr. Nancy Sauer). Small molecule activation by transition metal complexes; characterization of the reaction of CH3C(CH2PPh3)3Pt with dihydrogen; high pressure NMR studies; para-hydrogen induced polarization experiments. NMR kinetics and thermodynamics studies and protonation reactions of M(CO)3(PR3)2(?2-H2) (M = Mo, W); saturation transfer experiments and variable temperature equilibrium studies; synthesis and characterization of novel molecular hydrogen molybdenum and tungsten complexes (with Dr. Gregory J. Kubas). University of Illinois, Urbana- Champaign: Synthesis, NMR kinetics studies and characterization of ligand base adducts of methylcobalamin and methylatocobaloxime (with Dr. Theodore L. Brown) University of Alabama: Synthesis,Thermal and X-ray crystallographic studies of organoaluminum complexes (with Dr. Jerry L. Atwood) Selected Publications 1. "Boric Acid Binding Studies with Diol Containing Polyethylenimines as Determined by B NMR Spectroscopy," A. Labouriau, B. F. Smith, G. R. K. Khalsa, T. W. Robison, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 102, 4411- 4418. (2006). 2. "Boric Acid Recovery Using Polymer Filtration: Studies with Alkyl Monool, Diol, and Triol Containing Polyethylenimines," B. F. Smith, T. W. Robison, B. J. Carlson, A. Labouriau, G. R. K. Khalsa, N. C. Schroeder, G. D. Jarvinen, C. R. Lubeck, S. L. Folkert, D. I. Aguino, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 97, 1590-1604. (2005). 3. Laboratory Manual to Accompany Science and Our Global Heritage, Fourth Edition, M. E. Bacon, J. H. Barton, J. M. Cuff, G. R. K. Khalsa, Thiel College Press: 2000. 4. "Octaazacryptand Complexation of Fluoride Ion," S. D. Reilly, G. R. K. Khalsa, D. K. Ford, J. R. Brainard, B. P. Hay, P. H. Smith, Inorg. Chem., 34, 569 (1995). 5. "Neutron Structure and Inelastic Neutron Scattering and Theoretical Studies of Molybdenum(carbonyl)(dihydrogen)bis(diphenylphosphinoethane)(4.5 Benzene), a Complex with an Extremely Low Barrier to Dihydrogen Rotation. Implications on the Reaction Coordinate for H-H Cleavage to Dihydride," G. J. Kubas, C. J. Burns, J. Eckert, S. W. Johnson, A. C. Larson, P. J. Vergamini, C. J. Unkefer, G. R. K. Khalsa, S. A. Jackson, O. Eisenstein, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 115, 569 (1993). 6. "Dihydrogen: A Better Ligand Than Water? IR and X-Ray Evidence for Aquo Coordination in W(CO)3(PR3)2(H2O), Thermodynamics of H2O versus ?2-H2 Binding, and H2O/D2 Isotopic Exchange. Implications on the Biological Activation of Hydrogen," G. J. Kubas, C. J. Burns, G. R. K. Khalsa, L. S. Van der Sluys, G. Kiss, C. D. Hoff, Organometallics, 11, 3390 (1992). 7. "Molecular Hydrogen Complexes of the Transition Metals. 7. Kinetics and Thermodynamics of the Interconversion Between Dihydride and Dihydrogen Forms of W(CO)3(PR3)2H2 Where R = iso-Propyl and Cyclopentyl," G. R. K. Khalsa, G. J. Kubas, C. J. Unkefer, L. S. Van Der Sluys, K. A. Kubat-Martin, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 112, 3855 (1990). 8. "Thermodynamic and Kinetic Studies of Binding Nitrogen and Hydrogen to Complexes of Chromium, Molybdenum, and Tungsten," A. A. Gonzalez, K. Zhang, S. L. Mukerjee, C. D. Hoff, G. R. K. Khalsa, G. J. Kubas, in Bonding and Energetics in Organometallic Compounds, ed. T. J. Marks, American Chemical Society: Washington, D.C. 1990.

Educational Background