D. Paul Rillema

Professor

Education

  • Ph.D., Michigan State University, 1969

Principal Research Interests

  • Design of Supramolecular electron and energy transfer models.
  • Photophysical properties of coordination complexes, solar energy conversion.
  • Solar Energy Conversion
    We design transition metal complexes capable of excited state energy and electron transfer. These molecules emit light from their excited states in the nanosecond to microsecond time domain with quantum efficiencies of 10% or less. Density Functional Theory results in placing the electron density on the appropriate molecular orbitals for the HOMO and LUMO and the energies correlate with measured polargraphic half wave potentials and metal-to-ligand charge transfer transitions.
  • Biochemical Investigations
    We are currently examining the emission properties of human serum. Variations lead us to differentiate individuals with metabolic dysfunctions from normal human beings. These dysfunctions are related diseases such as cancer, hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, etc. The change in emission appears related to a person's energy level, which can be monitored by the concentration of NADH in serum.

Representative Publications

See all
  1.  “Dicyano and Pyridine Derivatives of Retinal: Synthesis, Vibronic, Electronic and Photophysical Properties,” A. J. Cruz, K. Siam, C. Moore, M. Islam and D. P. Rillema, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2010 114, 6766-6775, DOI: 10.1021/jp103749b.
  2. “Dicyano and Pyridine Derivatives of β-Carotene: Structures and Electronic Properties,” A. J. Cruz, K. Siam, and D. P. Rillema, J. Phys. Chem. A 2011 115, 1108-1116.
  3. “Electronic, and Photophysical Properties of Platinum(II) Biphenyl Complexes Containing the 2,2’-Bipyridine and 1,10-Phenanthroline Ligands,” D. Paul Rillema, Arvin J. Cruz, Curtis, Khamis Siam, Ali Jehan, Derek Base, T. Nguyen and Wei Huang, Inorg. Chem. 2013 52, 596-607. DOI 10.1021/ic301393e.
  4. “Structural Properties of Platinum(II) Biphenyl Complexes Containing 1,10-Phenanthroline Derivatives,” D. Paul Rillema, Arvin Cruz, Brandon Tasset, Curtis Moore, Khamis Siam, and Wei Huang, Journal of Molecular Structure 2013 1041, 82-91 dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2013.03.006.
  5. “Acid Monolayer Functionalized Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as Catalysts for Carbonate Hydrolysis,” Myles Ikenberry, Leidy Pena, Daming Wei, Hongwang Wang, Stefan Bossmann, Trenton Wilke, Donghai Wang, Venugopal R. Komreddy, D. Paul Rillema and Keith L. Hohn, Green Chemistry, 2013, DOI: 10.1039/c3gc41410e.