Dr. Ted McClain

Research in the McClain group takes inspiration from nature to develop catalysts for sustainable small molecule synthesis. Specifically, the McClain group is investigating the design and implementation of catalysts that cross-over between polar (nucleophile/electrophile) and free radical chemistry to enable challenging C–C, C–O, C–N, and C–X bond forming reactions. Research in the McClain group will impact the fine chemical enterprise by providing new synthetic methods for the synthesis of complex molecules with applications ranging from drug discovery to cosmetics. Students in the McClain group will learn traditional laboratory techniques to synthesize, purify, and characterize small molecules, with opportunities for exposure to interdisciplinary electroanalytical techniques to study reactivity patterns.