Andrew P. Dicks

Academic Title: Senior Lecturer

Phone: 416-946-8003

Office: LM 118

Email:

Research Homepage:

My research interests are primarily within the field of undergraduate education, currently with specific emphasis on designing new microscale and semi-microscale organic laboratory experiments. Recent years have seen movement away from traditional macroscale synthetic procedures within the undergraduate organic laboratory. Smaller scale experiments are more cost effective and afford benefits such as minimized waste disposal and reduced reaction times. Although exposing students to essential laboratory techniques and illustrating fundamental reactivity, many current experiments fail to spark an interest in organic chemistry. The aim is to construct small-scale synthetic procedures where the isolated product has an everyday relevance. Examples include: a prostate cancer treatment (1), a UV light blocking sunscreen analog (2), the active ingredient in a cough syrup (3), an anti-depressant (4), or an anti-anginal drug (5). Synthetic experiments designed should:

• be demonstrative of appropriate lecture material – e.g. basic organic reactions, mechanisms and spectroscopy
• be demonstrative of laboratory techniques such as vacuum/gravity filtration, reflux, recrystallization etc.
• involve the synthesis of a "real-world" compound - one that has a well-defined use in society (see examples below)
• involve cheap, readily available, safe starting materials
• involve basic laboratory apparatus
• generate a product at a semi-microscale (~ 500 mg) or microscale (~ 100 mg) level

By adopting this approach it is possible to make the undergraduate organic laboratory experience a fascinating and stimulating one. Particular recent interest has focused on aspects of green chemistry and designing reactions that proceed in water or under solvent-free conditions.

Since September 2001, nineteen students have worked on these (and other) projects as summer volunteers, as graduate Chemistry Teaching Fellows or within CHM 299Y and CHM 449Y research courses. Some of the more pertinent publications are listed below.

1. Dicks, A. P. Green Chem. Lett. Rev., 2009, in press.
2. Simpson, A. J.; Shirzadi, A.; Burrow, T. E.; Lefebvre, B.; Corrin, T.; Dicks, A. P. J. Chem. Educ., 2009, 86, in press.
3. Dicks, A. P. J. Chem. Educ., 2009, 86, in press.
4. Skonieczny, S.; Dicks, A. P. Chem 13 News, 2009, 362, 6-8.
5. Aktoudianakis, E.; Chan, E.; Edward, A. R.; Jarosz, I.; Lee, V.; Mui, L.; Thatipamala, S. S.; Dicks, A. P. J. Chem. Educ., 2008, 85, 555-57*.
   *Highlighted by the Journal as "Featured Molecules of the Month, April 2008" Coleman, W. F. J. Chem. Educ., 2008, 85, 592.
6. Cheung, L. L. W.; Aktoudianakis, E.; Chan, E.; Edward, A. R.; Jarosz, I.; Lee, V.; Mui, L.; Thatipamala, S. S.; Dicks, A. P. Chem. Educator [Online], 2007, 12, 77-79.
7. Aktoudianakis, E.; Lin, R. J.; Dicks, A. P. J. Chem. Educ., 2006, 83, 1832-34.
8. Ikeda, G. K.; Jang, K.; Mundle, S. O. C.; Dicks, A. P. J. Chem. Educ., 2006, 83, 1341-43.
9. Aktoudianakis, E.; Dicks, A. P. J. Chem. Educ., 2006, 83, 287-89.
10. Cheung, L. L. W.; Lin, R. J.; McIntee, J. W.; Dicks, A. P. Chem. Educator [Online], 2005, 10, 300-02.
11. Stabile, R. G.; Dicks, A. P. J. Chem. Educ., 2004, 81, 1488-91*.
    *Highlighted by the Journal as "Featured Molecule of the Month, October 2004" Coleman, W. F. J. Chem. Educ., 2004, 81, 1491.
12. Stabile, R. G.; Dicks, A. P. J. Chem. Educ., 2003, 80, 1439-43.*
    *Highlighted by the Journal as "Featured Molecule of the Month, December 2003"
    Coleman, W. F.; Fedosky, E. W. J. Chem. Educ., 2003, 80, 1496.
13. Dicks, A. P. J. Chem. Educ., 2003, 80, 1322-27.
14. Stabile, R. G.; Dicks, A. P. J. Chem. Educ., 2003, 80, 313-15*.
    *Highlighted by the Journal as "Featured Molecule of the Month, March 2003"
    Coleman, W. F.; Wildman, R. J. J. Chem. Educ., 2003, 80, 315.