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Mark Meier

Research Interests:
Materials Chemistry
Carbon Materials
Biomass conversion
Education

B.A. Dartmouth College, 1982
Ph.D. University of Oregon, 1988
Postdoctoral Fellow 1988-1990, University of Texas - Austin (Marye Anne Fox)

Research

Carbon Nanotube Chemistry.  The organic chemistry of carbon nanotubes presents us with a new set of challenges, not the least of which is the complete insolubility of these materials.  We have been investigating both classical cylindrical multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) as well as a type of nanotube that is composed of a series of stacked cups.  This structure presents a very different surface to the surrounding medium. Cylindical MWNTs present basal plane graphite to the outside, while bamboo MWNTs present graphene edges.  This results in a dramatic shift in reactivity, we are able to exploit these differences to producing some interesting changes in structure.   

Lignin Deconstruction for Renewable Fuels and Feedstocks.  Lignin, the second most common organic molecule on the planet, is potentially a source for large quantities of fuels and chemical feedstocks.  We are working on methodology to reduce the molecular weight of lignin to render it processible by conventional industrial processes.  We validate methods using model compounds, then apply these methods to lignin itself. 

Our research is at the interface of molecular chemistry and materials chemistry, and we collaborate closely with chemists and chemical engineers at the UK  Center for Applied Energy Research.

 

Graduate Training

Organic and Materials Chemistry

Selected Publications:
  • "Utilization of Lignin-Derived Small Molecules:  Epoxy Polymers from Lignin Oxidation Products," Fang, Z., Weisenberger, M. C., Meier, M. S. ACS Applied Bio Materials, 2020, 3, 881-890. (DOI 10.1021/acsabm.9b00954)
  •  “Dramatic Simplification of Lignin HSQC Spectra from Ring-Puck Milling Followed by Oxidation,” Fang, Z., Meier, M. S., and Mobley, J. K. Energy Fuels, 2018, 32, 11632-11638. (DOI 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.8b02993).
  • “Oxidation of N-Doped Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes and Formation of Discontinuous Spiraled Carbon Nanoribbons,” Kaur, A. P., Meier, M. S., Andrews, R., Qian, D. ARKIVOC (invited submission for issue in honor of Gordon W. Gribble), 2018, Part iv, 257-275.
  • “Toward the Oxidative Deconstruction of Lignin:  Oxidation of β-1 and β-5 Linkages,” Fang, Z., Meier, M.S. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, 2018, 16, 2330-2341.
  • “Mechanochemical Treatment Facilitates Two-Step Oxidative Depolymerization,” Yao, S. G., Meier, Mobley, J. K., Ralph, J., Crocker, M.  ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 2018, 6, 5990-5998.
  • “A Comparison of the Oxidation of Lignin Model Compounds in Conventional and Ionic Liquid Solvents and Application to the Oxidation of Lignin” Yao, S. G., Meier, M. S., Pace III, R. B., Crocker, M. RSC Advances, 2016, 6, 104742 – 104753.
  • “Oxidation of Lignin and Lignin β-O-4 Model Compounds via Activated Dimethyl Sulfoxide,” Mobley, J.; Crocker, M.; Yao, S. G.; Meier, M. S.  RSC Advances, 2015, 5, 105136.
  • “Selective Oxidation of the Cα-Cβ Linkage in Lignin Model Compounds by Baeyer-Villiger Oxidation,” Patil, N. D., Yao, S. G., Meier, M. S., Mobley, J., Crocker, M., Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, 2015, 13, 3243-3254.
  • “Stacked-cup-type MWCNTs as highly stable lithium-ion battery anodes,” Li, J., Kaur, A. P., Meier, M. S., and Cheng, Y-T. J. Appl. Electrochem., 2014, 44, 179-187.
  • An Investigation of the Fracturing Process in Nitrogen-Doped Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (N-MWCNTs). Evidence for Directional Unzipping" Patil, N. D.; Meier, M. S., Mater. Res. Express 2014, 1, 015603.
  • “Pyrolysis-GC/MS of Sinapyl and Coniferyl Alcohol,” Harman-Ware, A. E., Crocker, M., Kaur, A., Meier, M. S., Kato, D., Lynn, B. C., J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, 2013 (99), 161-169.
  • “Nitrogen-containing Carbon Nanotubes and Y-Junctions by Floating Catalytic Chemical Vapor Deposition,” Qian, D.; Andrews, R.; Weisenberger, M.; and Meier, M.S. Nanomaterials and Energy, 2012, 1, 168-179.
  • “Dependence of Water Vapour Adsorption on the Polarity of Graphene Surfaces of Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes,” Bradley, R. H., Andreu, A., Cassity, K., Osbeck, S., Andrews, R., Meier, M., Johnston, C., Adsorption Science and Technology, 2010, 28, 903-912.
  • “Linear and spiral forms of longitudinal cuts in graphitized N-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (g-N-MWCNTs),” Meier, M. S.; Selegue, J. P.; Cassity, K. B.; Kaur, A. P.; Qian, D. J. Phys. (Cond. Matter), 2010, 20, 334219/1-334219/6.
  • “Fracture Formation in N-Doped Multiwalled Nanotubes,” Meier, M. S.; Andrews, R.; Jacques, D.; Cassity, K. B.; Qian, D. J. Mater. Chem. 2008, 18, 4143-4145. 
  • “Coupling Biomolecules to Fullerenes Through a Molecular Adapter,” Cappachio, M.; Gavalas, V. G.; Anthony, J.; Meier,  M.; Bachas, L. G., Bioconj. Chem. 2005, 241- 244.
  • "Hybrid Nanoparticles Based on Organized Protein Coupling on Fullerenes," Nednoor, P.; Capaccio, M.; Gavalas, V. G.; Meier, M. S.; Anthony, J. E.; Bachas, L. G.  Bioconjugate Chemistry  2004, 15(1), 12-15.
  • "Methodology for the Preparation of C1-Monoalkylated 1,2-Dihydro[C70­] Derivatives:  Formation of "the other" Regioisomer;"   Wang, Z.; Meier, M. S., J. Org. Chem. 2004, 69, 2178-2180.
  • "Trends in Chemical Shift Dispersion in Fullerene Derivatives.  Tuning Distant Magnetic Properties with Local Strain," Meier, M. S.; Spielmann, H. P; Bergosh, R. G.;  Tetreau,  M., J. Org. Chem. 2003, 68, 7867-7870.
  • "7,8-Dichloromethanohomo[70]fullerene, an Unusual but Unexceptional Methanoannulene," Kiely, A. F.; Meier, M. S.; Patrick, B. O.; Selegue, J. P.; Brock, C. P. Helv. Chim. Acta 2003, 86, 1140-1151.
  • “Monoalkylation of C60 and C70 with Zn and Active Alkyl Halides,” Wang, Z.; Meier, M. S.; J. Org. Chem. 2003, 68, 3043-3048.
  • “Thermogravimetric Analysis of the Oxidation of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: Evidence for the Role of Defect Sites in Carbon Nanotube Chemistry,” Bom, D.; Andrews, R.; Jacques, D.; Anthony, J.; Chen, B.; Meier, M. S.; Selegue, J. P.Nanoletters, 2002, 2, 615-619.
  • “A 13C INADEQUATE and HF-GIAO Study of C60H2­ and C60H6.  Identification of Ring Currents in a 1,2-Dihydrofullerene,” Meier, M. S.; Spielmann, H.P.; Haddon, R. C.; Bergosh, R. G.; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 8090-8094.
  • “Alkylation of Dihydrofullerenes,” Meier, M. S.; Bergosh, R. G.; Gallagher, M. E.; Spielmann, H. P.; Wang, Z.  J. Org. Chem. 2002, 67, 5946-5952.
  • “A Novel Synthesis of Branched High Molecular Weight (C40+) Long-Chain Alkanes,” Lehmler, H-J., Bergosh, R. G., Meier, M. S., Carlson, R. M. K., Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, 2002, 66, 523-531.
  • "Chromatographic Purification and Properties of Soluble Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes," Zhao, Z.; Hu, H.; Niyogi, S.; Itkis, M. E.; Hamon, M. A.; Bhowmik, P.; Meier, M. S.; Haddon, R. C.  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 11673-11677/LI>
  • “Chromatographic Purification of Soluble Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes (s-SWNTs),”  Niyogi, S.; Hamon, M. A.; Bhowmik, P.; Rozenzhak, S. M.; Itkis, M. E.; Meier, M. S.; Haddon, R. C. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2001, 123, 733-734.
  • The Synthesis and Characterization of Fullerene Hydrides,” Nossal, J.; Saini, R. K.; Billups, W. E.; Meier, M.; Euro. J. Chem. 2001, 4167-4180.
  • “Preparation and Characterization of the Fullerene Diols 1,2-C60(OH)2, 1,2-C70(OH)2,and 5,6-C70(OH)2,”  Meier, M. S.; Kiegiel, J.  Org. Lett.2001, 3, 1717-1719.
  • "Reactivity, Spectroscopy, and Structure of Reduced Fullerenes," Meier, M. S.; Spielmann, H. P.; Haddon, R. C.; Bergosh, R. C.; Gallagher, M. E.; Hamon, M. A.; Weedon, B. R. , Carbon, 2000, 38, 1535-1538.
  • "Preparation and NMR Characterization of C70H10:  Cutting a Fullerene J. Org. Chem., 2000, 65, 2755-2758.
  • Wang, G.-W., Weedon, B. R., Meier, M. S., Saunders, M., Cross, R.  A 3He NMR Study of 3He@C60H6 and 3He@C70H2-10,  Org. Lett, 2000, 2, 2241-2243.
  • Bachilo, S. M.; Benedetto, A. F.; Weisman, R. B.; Meier, M. S.; Wang, G.-W.; Weedon, B. R.; Selegue, J. P. "Photophysical Studies of C70-Benzyne Monoadducts:  Strong Isomer Effects," Recent Advances in the Chemistry and Physics of Fullerenes and Related Materials  2000, 281-288.
  • Kiely, A.; Haddon, R. C.; Meier. M. S.; Selegue. J. P.; Brock, C. P.; Wang, G.-W.; Chen. Y. "The First Structurally Characterized Homofullerene (Fulleroid): 7,8-Dichloromethano-homo[70]fullerene," J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1999, 121, 7971-7972.
  • Weedon, B. R.; Haddon, R. C.; Spielmann, H. P.; Meier, M. S. "Fulleroid Addition Regiochemistry Is Driven By p-Orbital Misalignment," J. Am. Chem. Soc.1999 121, 335-340.
  • Spielmann, H. P.; Wang, G.-W., Meier, M. S.; Weedon, B. R. "Preparation of C70H2, C70H4 and C70H8: Three Independent Reduction Manifolds in the Zn(Cu) Reduction of C70," J. Org. Chem. 1998, 63, 9865-9871.
  • "Benzyne Adds Across a Closed 5-6 Ring Fusion in C70 : Evidence for Bond Delocalization in Fullerenes," M. S. Meier, G. W. Wang, R. C. Haddon, C. P. Brock, M. A. Lloyd, J. P. Selegue, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1998, 120, 2337-2342.
  • R. G. Bergosh, J. A. Laske Cooke, M. S. Meier, H. P. Spielmann, B. R. Weedon, "Dissolving Metal Reductions of Fullerenes," J. Org. Chem. 62, 7667-7672 (1997).
  • M. S. Meier, M. Poplawska, The Addition of Nitrile Oxides to C60," Tetrahedron 60, 5043-5052 (1996).
  • M. S. Meier, B. R. Weedon, H. P. Spielmann, Synthesis and Isolation of One Isomer of C60H6," J. Am. Chem. Soc. 118, 11682-11683 (1996).
  • M. S. Meier, D. J. Rice, "Linking Fullerene Units," R. S. Ruoff, K. M. Kadish, Eds., Recent Advances in the Chemistry and Physics of Fullerenes and Related Materials, Reno, NV (The Electrochemical Society, 1995).
  • M. S. Meier, V. K. Vance, P. K. Corbin, M. Clayton, M. Mollman, M. Poplawska, "Synthesis of Hydrogenated Fullerenes by Zinc/Acid Reduction," Tetrahedron Lett. 35, 5789-5792 (1994).
  • M. S. Meier, M. Poplawska, A. L. Compton, J. Shaw, J. P. Selegue, T. F. Guarr, "Preparation and Isolation of Three Isomeric C70 Isoxazolines: Strong Deshielding in the Polar Region of C70," J. Am. Chem. Soc. 116, 7044-7048 (1994).
  • M. S. Meier, D. J. Rice, C. J. Thomas, V. Majidi, R. Pogue, M. Poplawska, "Fullerenes as Nanoscale Connectors," P. Bernier, et al., Eds., Science and Technology of Fullerene Materials, Boston, MA (Materials Research Society, 1994).
  • T. F. Guarr, M. S. Meier, V. K. Vance and M. Clayton, "Electrochemistry of the C60H2 Fullerene," J. Am. Chem. Soc., 115, 9862-9863 (1993).
  • M. S. Meier and M. Poplawska, "Addition of Nitrile Oxides to C60: Formation of Isoxazoline Derivatives of Fullerenes," J. Org. Chem., 58, 4524-4525 (1993).
  • M. S. Meier, T. F. Guarr, J. P. Selegue and V. K. Vance, "Elevated Temperature Gel Permeation Chromatography and Electrochemical Behavior of the C84 Fullerene," J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 63-65 (1993).
  • S. Ren, Y. Wang, A. M. Rao, M. S. Meier, J. P. Selegue and P. C. Eklund, "Dielectric Function of C70 Films," Appl. Phys. Lett., 61, 124-126 (1992).
  • M. S. Meier and J. P. Selegue, "Efficient Preparative Separation of C60 and C70. Gel Permeation Chromatography of Fullerenes Using 100% Toluene as Mobile Phase," J. Org. Chem., 57, 1924-1926 (1992).
PubMed Publications*: 
  • Z Fang; MC Weisenberger; MS Meier"Utilization of Lignin-Derived Small Molecules: Epoxy Polymers from Lignin Oxidation Products."ACS applied bio materials3.2(2020):881-890.Details.
  • Z Fang; MS Meier"Toward the oxidative deconstruction of lignin: oxidation of β-1 and β-5 linkages."Organic & biomolecular chemistry16.13(2018):2330-2341.Details. Full text
  • Z Wang; MS Meier"Methodology for the preparation of C1-monoalkylated 1,2-dihydro C70) derivatives: formation of the "other" regioisomer."The Journal of organic chemistry69.6(2004):2178-80.Details. Full text
  • MS Meier; HP Spielmann; RG Bergosh; MC Tetreau"Trends in chemical shift dispersion in fullerene derivatives. Local strain affects the magnetic environment of distant fullerene carbons."The Journal of organic chemistry68.20(2003):7867-70.Details. Full text
  • Z Wang; MS Meier"Monoalkylation of C60 and C70 with Zn and active alkyl bromides."The Journal of organic chemistry68.8(2003):3043-8.Details. Full text
  • MS Meier; RG Bergosh; ME Gallagher; HP Spielmann; Z Wang"Alkylation of dihydrofullerenes."The Journal of organic chemistry67.17(2002):5946-52.Details. Full text
  • MS Meier; HP Spielmann; RG Bergosh; RC Haddon"A (13)C INADEQUATE and HF-GIAO study of C(60)H(2) and C(60)H(6) identification of ring currents in a 1,2-dihydrofullerene."Journal of the American Chemical Society124.27(2002):8090-4.Details. Full text
  • HJ Lehmler; RG Bergosh; MS Meier; RM Carlson"A novel synthesis of branched high-molecular-weight (C40+) long-chain alkanes."Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry66.3(2002):523-31.Details. Full text
  • S Niyogi; H Hu; MA Hamon; P Bhowmik; B Zhao; SM Rozenzhak; J Chen; ME Itkis; MS Meier; RC Haddon"Chromatographic purification of soluble single-walled carbon nanotubes (s-SWNTS)."Journal of the American Chemical Society123.4(2001):733-4.Details.
  • MS Meier; J Kiegiel"Preparation and characterization of the fullerene diols 1,2-C(60)(OH)(2), 1,2-C(70)(OH)(2), and 5,6-C(70)(OH)(2)."Organic letters3.11(2001):1717-9.Details. Full text
  • GW Wang; BR Weedon; MS Meier; M Saunders; RJ Cross"3He NMR study of (3)He@C(60)H(6) and (3)He@C(70)H(2)(-)(10)"Organic letters2.15(2000):2241-3.Details. Full text
  • HP Spielmann; BR Weedon; MS Meier"Preparation and NMR characterization of C70H10: cutting a fullerene pi-system in half"The Journal of organic chemistry65.9(2000):2755-8.Details.
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