Abstract:  My research group is involved with a wide range of fundamental and applied chemistry that extends from the development of new synthetic transformations to the creation of a novel class of organic photochromic materials. The overarching goal of our research is to develop robust and efficient synthetic approaches to chemical reactions for applications in synthesis, as well as material science. In this lecture, the development of copper-catalyzed radical addition with nitroso compounds will be described. In addition, the design and development of negative photochromic systems will be presented.

Biography: Prof. Javier Read de Alaniz received his B.S. degree from Fort Lewis College in 1999 where he conducted undergraduate research under the direction of Professor William R. Bartlett. He obtained his Ph.D. under the supervision of Professor Tomislav Rovis at Colorado State University in 2006 with a research focus on asymmetric catalysis. Javier then moved to California, where he worked in the area of total synthesis with Professor Larry E. Overman at the University of California, Irvine. He began his independent career in 2009 and is currently an Associate Professor in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department at UCSB and an Associate Director of the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI).