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Eastern Illinois University

Staff Profile

Dr. Kraig A. Wheeler
Introduction Education & Training Conference Presentations Publications Funding & Grants Frequently Taught Courses Research & Creative Interests Professional Affiliations Update your profile

Dr. Kraig A. Wheeler

Professor - Organic Chemistry Website: http://ux1.eiu.edu/~kawheeler/

INTRODUCTION

Kraig Wheeler came to Eastern Illinois University in August 2005 from Delaware State University where he was a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry for twelve years. His research interests include the study of supramolecular assemblies, molecular recognition processes, predicting the organization of electrostatic contacts in competitive crystal environments, and X-ray crystallography. The majority of his recent work has focused on Asymmetric Reactions in Molecular Crystals and Quasiracemic Materials and their use as synthons for understanding the role of molecular topology in the construction of crystalline materials. He attended the University of Minnesota (1983-1987) as an undergraduate student where he was first encouraged and inspired to conduct research in solid-state organic chemistry by the late Margaret C. Etter. He received his Ph.D. from Brandeis University in 1992 with Bruce M. Foxman investigating solid phase reactivity of metal carboxylates. Prior to joining the DSU faculty, he carried out postdoctoral work with Raymond E. Davis and James K. Whitesell (1992-1993) at the University of Texas Austin.

One of his passions includes helping students experience the joys of organic chemistry – both in teaching and research. Seeing students have “light bulb” experiences and taking part in weighty classroom discussions keeps him motivated to stay a few steps ahead of his students. He teaches a collection of organic chemistry courses at EIU.

Education & Training

Ph.D., 1992, Brandeis University, Organic Chemistry, Waltham, Massachusetts
B.A., 1987, Chemistry University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Conference Presentations

(Selected Presentations - Last Two Years)
“Centnezwer a Hundred Years Later: New Additions to an Old Story,” National Council on Undergraduate Research, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, April 16-18, 2015. Spaniol, J.; Wheeler, K. A.
“Functional Molecular Crystals by Redirecting Symmetry,” National Council on Undergraduate Research, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, April 16-18, 2015. Schutzbach, M. E.; Wheeler, K. A.
“Controlled Photopolymerization Reactions in Molecular Crystals,” National Council on Undergraduate Research, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, April 16-18, 2015. Lewis, M. L.; Wheeler, K. A.
“Centnezwer a Hundred Years Later: New Additions to an Old Story,” 7th Annual Showcase EIU, Charleston, IL, March 27th, 2015. Spaniol, Jacqueline; Wheeler, Kraig A.
“Functionally Interesting Molecular Crystals: New Additions to Old Stories,”invited talk, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL, February 12, 2015. Wheeler, K. A.
“New Frontiers in Organizing Crystals by Molecular Shape,” 249th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Denver, CO, March 21-24, 2015. CHED-1123.  Schutzbach, M. E.; Wheeler, K. A.
“Capturing Chemical Reactions in Molecular Crystals,” invited talk, Amherst College, Amherst, MA, November 7, 2014. Wheeler, K. A.
“Capturing Chemical Reactions in Molecular Crystals,” invited talk, Knox College, Galesburg, IL, October 16, 2014. Wheeler, K. A.
“There and Back Again: A Chemist’s of Studying Molecular Shape and Reactivity,” National Council on Undergraduate Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, April 3-5, 2014. Schutzbach, M. E.; Wheeler, K. A.
“There and Back Again: A Chemist’s of Studying Molecular Shape and Reactivity,” 6th Annual Showcase EIU, Charleston, IL, March 28th, 2014. Schutzbach, Megan; Wheeler, Kraig A. 

Publications

(Last Two Years)
 “Crystal Photodimerization Reactions of Spatially Engineered Isocoumarin Assemblies,” Crystal Grown & Design, 2015, DOI: 10.1021/acs.cgd.5b00808. Weerasignhe, Mihiri. S., Karlson, Steven. T., Lu, Yuhua; Wheeler, Kraig A.
“Chiral Bimetallic Catalysts Derived from Chiral Metal Phosphates: Enantioselective Three-Component Asymmetric Aza-Diels-Alder Reactions of Cyclic Ketones,” Journal of Organic Chemistry 2015, 80, 7984-7993.  Deng, Yongming; Karunaratne, Chamini V.; Csatary, Erika; Tierney, David L.; Wheeler, Kraig; Wang, Hong.
“Dangling Phosphine Complexes: Phosphine Exchange in Pentacarbonyl Tungsten Complexes of Bis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)phenylphosphine,” Journal of Organometalllic Chemistry 2015, 794, 258-265. Gamage, Chaminda P.; Bailey, Ryan C.; Keiter, Ellen A.; Kuczynski, John R.; Wheeler, Kraig A.; Stern, Charlotte L.; Brandt, Douglas E.; Keiter, Richard L.
“Asymmetric Synthesis of Deoxypropionate Derivatives via Catalytic Hydrogenolysis of Enantioenriched Z-Ketene Heterodimers,” Organic Letters 2015, 17, 3248-3251.  Chen, Shi; Ibrahim, Ahmad A.; Mondal, Mukulesh; Magee, Anthony J.; Cruz, Adam J.; Wheeler, Kraig A.; Kerrigan, Nessan J.
“Phosphine-Catalyzed Diastereoselective Synthesis of β-Lactones from Disubstituted Ketenes and α-Chiral Oxyaldehydes,” Journal of Organic Chemistry 2015, 80, 5789-5794.  Mondal, Mukulesh; Chen, Shi; Othman, Nabil; Wheeler, Kraig A.; Kerrigan, Nessan J.
“Trio Catalysis Merging Enamine, Brønsted Acid, and Metal Lewis Acid Catalysis: Asymmetric Three-Component Aza-Diels-Alder Reaction of Substituted Cinnamaldehydes, Cyclic Ketons, and Arylamines,” Chemistry--A European Journal 2015, 21, 7874-7880.  Deng, Y.; Kumar, S.; Wheeler, K. A.; Wang, H.
“Diastereoselective Synthesis of γ-Lactones through Reaction of Enediolates with α,β-Unsaturated Sulfoxonium Salts,” Organic Letters 2015, 17, 1735-1737. Kerrigan, Nessan; Peraino, Nicholas; Wheeler, Kraig
“Synthesis and Solid-State Structure of (4-Hydroxy-3,5-diiodophenyl)phosphine Oxides. Dimeric Motifs with the Assistance of O-H···O=P Hydrogen Bonds,” Current Organic Chemistry 2015, 19, 469-474. Bewick, N. A.; Arendt, A.; Li, Y.; Szafert, S.; Lis, T.; Wheeler, K. A.; Young, J.; Dembinski, R.
“Tröger’s Base Quasiracemates and Crystal Packing Tendencies,” Crystal Engineering Communications 2014, 16, 7251-7258.  Cross, J. T.; Rossi, N. A.; Serafin, M. F.; Wheeler, K. A. (Invited Contribution to the Thematic Issue on the International Year of Crystallography)
“Phosphine Catalyzed Asymmetric Synthesis of b-Lactones from Disubstituted Ketenes and Aldehydes,” Journal of Organic Chemistry 2014, 79, 4920-4929.  Chen, S.; Mondal, M.; Ibrahim, A. A.;Wheeler, K. A.; Kerrigan, N. J.
“Oxa-Diels–Alder Reaction of Isatins and Acyclic α,β-Unsaturated Methyl Ketones through Cooperative Dienamine and Metal Lewis Acid Catalysis,” Synthesis 2014, 46, 1339-1347.  Liua, L.; Daka, P.; Sarkisian, R.; Deng, Y.; Wheeler, K.; Wang, H.
“Chiral Transmission to Crystal Photodimerizations of Leucine-Methionine Quasiracemic Assembles,” RSC Advances 2014, 4, 8125-8131.  Lu, Y.; Bolokowicz, A. J.; Reeb, S. A.; Wiseman, J. D.; Wheeler, K. A.
“Catalyst-Free Chemo-/Regio-/Stereo-selective Amination of Alk-3-ynones. Synthesis of 1,5-Benzodiazepines and 3-Amino-2-alkenones,” Green Chemistry 2014, 16, 1120-1124. Solan, A.; NiÅŸanci, B.; Belcher, M.; Young, J.; Schäfer, C.; Wheeler, K. A.; Török, B.; Dembinski, R.
“The Bimolecular Structure of Aquahexa-μ-chlorido-μ4-oxido-tris(tetrahydrofuran-κO)tetracopper(II)-hexa-μ-chlorido-μ4-oxido-tetrakis(tetrahydrofuran-κO)tetracopper(II)-tetrahydrofuran,” Acta Crystallographica, Section C: Structural Chemistry 2014, C50, 306-311. Wheeler, K. A.; Helgren, T. R.; Clayton, T. W.

Funding & Grants

Funding Agencies - Last Five Years
National Science Foundation (RUI and MRI)
American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Foundation

Frequently Taught Courses

Advanced Laboratory (CHM 4915)
Modern Organic Chemistry (CHM 5420)
Sophomore Organic Chemistry Lecture and Laboratory (CHM 2440, 2445, 2840, and 2845)
Survey of Organic Chemistry (CHM 2430 and 2435)

Research & Creative Interests

Dr. Wheeler's research programs are directed at the study of molecular crystals and engineered functional materials.  Design of novel cocrystalline quasiracemic compounds, noncentrosymmetric molecular assemblages and crystal engineering via molecular topology.  Chemical reactions in molecular crystals.  Construction of predictable molecular frameworks by exploiting strong and weak intermolecular interactions.  Nanoporous materials derived from coordination polymer and robust donor-acceptor molecular architectures.  Single-crystal X-ray crystallography.

Professional Affiliations

American Chemical Society
American Crystallographic Association
Council on Undergraduate Research