NSEC Scientific Director
NSEC Executive Committee Member
S.L. Mitchill Professor of Chemistry and University Professor
Department of Chemistry
rb33@columbia.edu
Breslow Group Webpage

Research Interests

My research interests can be described generally as involving the design and synthesis of new molecules with interesting properties, and the study of these properties. Examples include the cyclopropenyl cation, the simplest aromatic system and the first aromatic compound prepared with other than six electrons in a ring. My work establishing the phenomenon of anti-aromaticity has involved the synthesis of novel molecules, as well as their study. My major emphasis in recent years has been on the synthesis and study of molecules that imitate enzymatic reactions. This work has included the development of remote functionalization reactions and the development of artificial enzymes. Most recently, I have instituted a program in molecular electronics and nanoscience.

Selected Publications

• D. Bong, I. Tam, R. Breslow, “Oligothiophene Isocyanides for Platinum-Based Molecular Electronic Applications”, J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 126, 11796-11797 (2004).
• X. Guo, J. P. Small, J. E. Klare, Yi. Wang, M. S. Purewal, I. W. Tam, B. Hong, R. Caldwell, L. Huang, S. O’Brien, J. Yan, R. Breslow, S. J. Wind, J. Hone, P. Kim, C. Nuckolls, “Covalently Bridging Gaps in Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes with Conducting Molecules”, Science 311, 356-359 (2006).
• I. W. Tam, J. Yan, R. Breslow, “An 11 nm Molecular Wire that Switches Electrochemically between an Insulating and a Fully Conjugated Conducting State”, Org. Lett. 8, 183-185 (2006).
• R. Breslow, M. Levine. “Partial transfer of enantioselective chiralities from a-methylated amino acids, known to be of meteoritic origin, into normal amino acids”, Tetrahedron Lett. 47, 1809-1812 (2006).
• R. Breslow, ed., “Artificial Enzymes”, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany, 2005.