Rachel Willand-Charnley graduated with honors from Creighton University where she received her B.S. in biology.
Her research accomplishments as a UNL graduate student, under the direction of Dr. Patrick Dussault, have focused on advancing the fields of organic synthesis and organic oxidation chemistry. The first portion of her thesis work focused on developing a methodology for the reductive ozonolysis of alkenes that would take advantage of the ability of ozonolysis to generate carbonyl compounds while bypassing formation of ozonides and other hazardous co-products formed under traditional conditions. Willand-Charnley’s investigations led her to a mechanistically unprecedented organocatalyzed decomposition of the carbonyl oxide in the presence of pyridine. The overall process offers a fast, general, high-yielding, and safe route to aldehydes and ketones based simply upon reaction in the presence of stoichiometric pyridine. Willand-Charnley next investigated application of the reductive methodology in tandem with a number of popular synthetic reactions typically conducted as part of a sequence involving ozonolysis. The results she obtained are expected to allow investigators to streamline synthetic sequences, offering high yields and reduced reaction times.
Since joining the Dussault group in 2010, she has published three high impact publications, filed one patent, and is currently working on two manuscripts. Willand-Charnley has presented her work at seven conferences around the nation, participated in a large number of scientific outreach opportunities, including being the local Phi Lambda Upsilon – Rho Chapter President and co-creator of the 2012 Newsletter. She is an active member of the Nebraska Academy of Science, American Chemical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Fellowship Opportunities
- Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) Fellow (2012-2013)
- PFF Fellowship Mentor, Dr. Carolyn Bertozzi - University of California, Berkeley
Honors & Awards
- Norman Cromwell Research Awardee (March 2014) - Outstanding Graduate Researcher in Organic Chemistry
- ACS's Irving S. Sigal Postdoctoral Fellowship Award Nominee
- McNair Scholars: Invited Panelist (2014) - McNair Scholars Program, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Phi Lambda Upsilon Chemistry Honor Society President (2012-2013) - University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chapter
Publications
1) Willand-Charnley, R., Puffer, B and Dussault, P.H. “A New Synthesis of Oxetenes from Intramolecular Organometallic/Peroxide Coupling.” Angew. Chemie. Inl. Ed. Manuscript in preparation.
2) Willand-Charnley, R., Puffer, B and Dussault, P.H. “A Novel Oxacycle Synthesis.” Synfacts, 2014, 10(7), 0744. DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1339145.
3) Willand-Charnley, R.,1 Puffer, B1 and Dussault, P.H. “Inter and Intramolecular Reaction of Carbanions with Peroxides: An Umpoled Approach to Cyclic Ethers” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 5821-5823 DOI:10.1021/ja5026276
4) Willand-Charnley, R. and Dussualt, P.H. “Synthesis of cyclic ethers by intramolecular reaction of stabilized carbanions and organic peroxides” US provisional patent application No. 61/938,246 2013
5) Willand-Charnley, R. and Dussault, P.H. "Tandem C-C Bond- Forming Reactions Involving Reductive Ozonolysis." J. Org. Chem. 2013: 78, 42-47. DOI: 10.1021/jo3015775
6) Willand-Charnley, R., Fisher, T., Johnson, B., Dussault, P.H., Org. Lett. 2012: 14(9), 2242-2245. DOI: 10.1021/ol300617r.
Abstracts
1) Willand-Charnley, R., Puffer, B., and Dussault, P.H. “Inter And Intramolecular Reaction of Carbanions With Peroxides: An Umpoled Approach To Cyclic Ethers.” 43th National Organic Chemistry Symposium. 2013
2) Willand-Charnley, R., Puffer, B., and Dussault, P.H. “Inter And Intramolecular Reaction of Carbanions With Peroxides: An Umpoled Approach To Cyclic Ethers.” 133th Nebraska Academy of Science. 2012
3) Willand-Charnley, R.. and Dussault, P.H. “Pyridine as an Organocatalyst for the Reductive Ozonolysis of Alkenes.” 34TH Reaction Mechanisms Conference. June 2012
4) Willand-Charnley, R., and Dussault, P.H. “Tandem Reactions Involving Reductive Ozonolysis.” 132ND Nebraska Academy of Sciences. April 2012
5) Willand-Charnley, R., Fisher, T., Johnson, B., Dussault, P.H., “Pyridine as an Organocatalyst for the Reductive Ozonolysis of Alkenes.” 243RD American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition, Chemistry of Life. March 2012
6) Willand-Charnley, R., and Dussault, P.H. “Pyridine as an Organocatalyst for the Reductive Ozonolysis of Alkenes.” NSF CHE and Sustainable Chemistry. University of Nebraska, Lincoln. October 2011
7) Kyasa, S.K., Willand-Charnley, R., Dussault, P.H. “Ozonolysis Based Functionalization of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes.” IDeA EPSCoR Nebraska. August 2011