Teaching (links activated when course is running):  GSCI 1000  Chem 1110  Chem 2211  Chem 2351  Chem 3131  Chem 3371  Chem 4311  Chem 5151 Curriculum Vitae Research Program Publication List Rogues' Gallery

Associate Professor Assistant Dean (Undergraduate Initiatives) of Science and Environmental Studies Synthetic Inorganic Chemistry, with a focus on semiconducting materials Contact Information   Office Phone: 807-343-8327 Lab Phone: 807-343-8009 FAX 807-346-7775 E-mail: craig.mackinnon@lakeheadu.ca Postal: Department of Chemistry Lakehead University 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay  ON  P7B 5E1   Member: Canadian Society of Chemistry, American Chemical Society Member at large (Undergraduate Curriculum), Division of Inorganic Chemistry, CSC CHECK OUT THE INORGANIC LAB BANK!

Research Summary

We are looking at a number of compounds called oligomers for the purpose of finding new semiconducting materials.  Oligomers are short-chain polymers, in our case they contain less than 10 monomer units.  Our research can be subdivided into a number of projects:

• attachement of functional groups (nitrile, aldehyde, etc.) to well-known oligomers (oligothiophene, -phenyl, etc.) to determine influence of functional group on solid-state packing patterns
• synthesis of new, synthetically challenging oligomers that contain only one type of monomer
• coordination and organometallic chemistry of end-capped oligomers with transition metals

Some recent group members, picture from December 2013 l to r: Jennifer Steers, Michael Beh, Kaitlyn Kelly, CDM, Melissa Quance, Christine Boissy

Recent Publications

15.  D.N. D’Aleo, S.R. Allard, S.L.M. Parent, D.J. Rohr, C. Gottardo, and C.D. MacKinnon, “Green Halogenation of Aromatic Heterocycles Using Ammonium Halide and Hydrogen Peroxide in Acetic Acid Solvent,” Can. J. Chem. 2013, 91, 679-683.

14.  W.M. Sears, C.D. MacKinnon, and T.M. Kraft, "The effect of chain length on the dielectric and optical properties of oligothiophenes," Synth. Met. 2011, 161, 1566-1574.

13.  W.A. Sears, C.D. MacKinnon, R.C. Mawhinney, L.C. Sinnemaki, M.J. Johnson, A.J. Winter, and C.M. Robertson, "Using the Nitro Group to Induce  π-Stacking in Terthiophenes," Can. J. Chem. 2010, 88, 309-317.

12.  I.S. Morgan, D.N. D’Aleo, M.L. Hudolin, A. Chen, A. Assoud, H.A. Jenkins and C.D. MacKinnon, "Oligothiophenes substituted with the thionitrile group: synthesis, characterization, and thin-film formation on gold substrates," J. Mater. Chem. 2009, 19, 8162-8168.

11.  C.D. MacKinnon, S.L.M. Parent, R.C. Mawhinney, A. Assoud, and C.M. Robertson, "5,5'-Dicyano-2,2'-bithiophene and 3,3'-dicyanobiphenyl: off-axis rod-like ligands for silver(I)," CrystEngComm 2009, 11, 160-167.

10.  W.A. Sears, W.M. Sears, C.D. MacKinnon, "The Effect of End-Group Substitution on the Electrical Conductivity of Mesoporous Terthiophenes," Synth. Met. 2008, 158, 50-58.

9. W.A. Sears, M.L. Hudolin, H.A. Jenkins, R.C. Mawhinney, C.D. MacKinnon, "Crystallization of Ligand vs. Complexation: the Nitrile-Silver(I) Interaction using Dicyanobithiophene as Ligand," J. Coord. Chem. 2008, 61, 825-835.

For a list of all papers and conference presentations, click here!

Last updated, March 24, 201 4
Page maintained by Craig MacKinnon