Liberal Arts Symposium: Daniel J. Wendekier
“Toward the Synthesis of 1,5-Methylenesemibullvalene.”

What is your topic?

Improving the steps towards the synthesis of 1,5-methylenesemibullvalene.

Why did you choose this topic?

I’m interested in novel aromatic compounds.

What is the ultimate purpose of your research?

The ultimate purpose of the research is to further the understanding of aromaticity by performing the synthesis of the first neutral homoaromatic compound ever to be observed. Through my research, I have been able to eliminate many steps of the process in synthesizing 1,5-methylenesemibullvalene.

What are the applications of your research?

Once we are able to synthesize this neutral homoaromatic compound, many properties of aromaticity can be examined and tested to provide further incite into differentiating what properties of aromatic compounds are truly due to aromaticity and what, if any, are a result of the high energy which most studied aromatic compounds have.

What are your future plans?

I plan on attending Penn State to earn a doctorate in organic chemistry.

Sara Hernández ’09, Juniata online journalist