I am a professor of organic chemistry, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, and directing organic chemistry research.
Research Interests
(1) We have a long-time interest in the polyiodination of aromatic compounds. Currently we are exploring polyidonation of pyrene, and iodinations of biphenol and biphenyl, using periodic acid as the iodine source, as well as solvent-free iodinations using a ball-milling machine. (2) We are attempting to prepare magnetic surfactants by complexing an EDTA derivative with long alkyl tails to the magnetic ion dysprosium. (3) Glyoximes can help control the deposition of metal into channels to make electrical circuits; we are making polar derivatives of glyoximes with halogen substituents to improve their performance. (4) We made perylenebisimide derivatives for many years as molecular rectifiers; we hope to exploit their ability to stabilize G-quadruplex DNA to investigate quadruplex’s biochemical roles.
Biography
Daniell L. Mattern received his BA in Chemistry, magna cum laude, from Kalamazoo College in 1970. He did his graduate work at Stanford University, receiving his PhD in Organic Chemistry in 1976. After postdoctoral fellowships at Tufts University School of Medicine and the University of California at San Diego, he joined the faculty at the University of Mississippi in 1980, where he was the Margaret McLean Coulter Professor from 2015 to 2019 and the Andrew Stefani and Eldon Miller Chair for Excellence in Teaching of Chemistry from 2021 to 2024. Dr. Mattern’s research has ranged from molecules designed to be molecular rectifiers of electricity as possible components of molecular electrical circuits to chemical alterations that occur when biochar is subjected to ultrasonic activation. He has recently worked on the polyiodination of aromatic compounds, the preparation of magnetic surfactants, and the synthesis of halogenated glyoximes. His research has been supported by NSF, NIH, the American Chemical Society’s Petroleum Research Fund, and Research Corporation. Dr. Mattern has taught organic chemistry to pre-med, pre-pharmacy, and chemistry undergraduate and graduate students for over four decades. He has received the University of Mississippi’s Elsie M. Hood Outstanding Teaching Award, as well as Outstanding Teaching Awards from the College of Liberal Arts, Alpha Epsilon Delta, and the Student Members of the American Chemical Society. In his spare time, he may be found playing cello with local symphonies, or performing with a local improv comedy troupe.
A Two-Faced “Janus-like” Unimolecular Rectifier Exhibits Rectification Reversal
Synthesis of Donor-σ-Perylenebisimide-
Single molecule spectroscopic studies of organic rectifiers composed of pyrene and perylenebisimide
Convenient preparations of the three 2,3-dihalo-1,4-benzoquinones.
Education
B.A. Chemistry, Kalamazoo College (1970)
M.S. Chemistry, Stanford University (1971)
Ph.D. Chemistry, Stanford University (1975)