
Professor of Chemistry
Office: Academic Center 106
Telephone: 724-589-2049 (office)
Fax: 724-589-2021
E-mail: G. R. K. Khalsa
Schedule for Spring 2008
Chemistry 160: General Chemistry II
Class: MWF 9:00 AM - 9:55 AM
Lab: T 1:00 – 3:55 PM
Chemistry 390: Inorganic Chemistry
Class: TTh 9:30 AM - 10:55 AM
Lab: W 1:00 – 4:55 PM
Chemistry 480: Chemistry Seminar
Class: Th 11:00 AM – 11:55 AM
Office Hours
by appointment
Dr. G. Rattan K. Khalsa is Professor of Chemistry at Thiel College. At Thiel, she was Assistant Professor from 1980-87, Associate Professor from 1987-92, and Full Professor from 1992 to present. At Thiel College, she has taught General Chemistry I and II, Chemistry for the Health Sciences, Introduction to Chemistry, CHEMTECH (for non-majors), Inorganic Chemistry, Advanced Inorganic Chemistry, Problems in Chemistry (Undergraduate Research), Advanced Laboratory, Advanced Topics in Inorganic Chemistry, Chemistry Seminar, Honors Interdisciplinary Courses III and IV, Science and Our Global Heritage I and II.
Educational Background
- B.S. in Chemistry, Phi Beta Kappa, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, May 1972
- Ph.D., Inorganic Chemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, May 1979
Interests and Experience
Her current research interests include small molecule activation with transition metal complexes, molecular modeling studies of organometallic and bioinorganic complexes, and the separation of metal ions from waste water streams by water-soluble polymer/filtration.
She has worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) during sabbatical years 1987, 1993-94, 2001 and during all summers from 1986–1994 (supported on fellowships by Associated Western Universities-U.S. Department of Energy in 1986-7 and 1993-4). She was a Visiting Assistant Professor from 1979-80 at West Virginia University, Morgantown.
Her research projects have included:
(At LANL): 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).
Dissertation Research with Dr. Theodore L. Brown at the University of Illinois, Urbana- Champaign): Synthesis, NMR kinetics studies and characterization of ligand base adducts of methylcobalamin and methylatocobaloxime
University of Alabama with Dr. Jerry L. Atwood: Synthesis, thermal and X-ray crystallographic studies of organoaluminum complexes.
Selected Publications
1. "Boric Acid Binding Studies with Diol Containing Polyethylenimines as Determined by 11B NMR Spectroscopy," A. Labouriau, B. F. Smith, G. R. K. Khalsa, T. W. Robison, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., submitted for publication, 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. "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).
4. "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).
5. "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).
6. "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).
7. "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.