JuhaszLab Research Group

Research Overview

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The CB₁₁H₁₂⁻ carborane anion is one of the most stable molecular clusters known.

My research explores the synthesis of molecules constructed from a cage of boron atoms (boranes) and analogues where at least one atom in the framework is carbon (carboranes). My work in this area is informed by 15 years of research experience working with 1-carba-closo-dodecaborate(1⁻) (i.e. CB₁₁⁻), a carborane cluster with potential uses as pharmaceuticals, medical imaging agents, chemical catalysts, and building blocks for new optical and electronic materials. Research projects in my group at Whitman continue to explore the chemistry of CB₁₁⁻, as well as that of other related boron-based clusters. The techniques employed and questions investigated in this work are relevant to the subdiciplines of organic and inorganic chemistry.

Boron clusters were first prepared several decades ago, but relatively few methods have been developed for synthetically modifying these molecules. Difficulties in the synthesis of the CB₁₁⁻ cluster and its derivatives remain a primary reason that their use in practical applications has been limited. The development of efficient synthetic methods for use with the CB₁₁⁻ system would allow for the preparation of a host of new compounds and facilitate the use of this cluster in a variety of applications.

Support for this work has been provided by Whitman College, the National Science Foundation, and the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust.

Current Research Students

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Daniel Sutton, '26 - Chemistry Major at Whitman College

Publications

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(† denotes Whitman student coauthor)

"Exhaustive Cyanation of the Dodecaborate Dianion: Synthesis, Characterization, and X-Ray Crystal Structure of [B₁₂(CN)₁₂]^2–" Kamin, A. A.,† Juhasz, M. A.* Inorganic Chemistry, 2020, 59, 189-192.
doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.9b03037

"Microwave-assisted iodination: Synthesis of heavily iodinated 10-vertex and 12-vertex boron clusters" Juhasz M. A.,* Matheson, G. R.,† Chang, P. S.,† Rosenbaum, A. R.,† Juers, D. H., Synthesis and Reactivity in Inorganic, Metal-Organic, and Nano-Metal Chemistry, 2016, 46 (4), 583-588.
doi:10.1080/15533174.2014.988819

"A Boron Cluster with a Pair of Carboxylic Acid Groups on Adjacent Borons: Synthesis and Structure of 7,12-(COOH)₂-CB₁₁H₁₀⁻." Dwulet, G. E.,† Juhasz, M. A.* Inorganic Chemistry Communications, 2015, 51, 26-28.
doi:10.1016/j.inoche.2014.10.028

"Tetraethylammonium 7,12-Dicyano-1-Carba-closo-Dodecaborate" Juhasz, M. A.*, Juers, D. H., Dwulet, G. E.,† Rosenbaum, A. J.† Acta Crystallographica, 2014, E70, o411-o412.
doi:10.1107/S1600536814004759

"Copper-promoted Cyanation of a Boron Cluster: Synthesis, X-ray structure, and Reactivity of 12-CN-closo-CHB₁₁H₁₀⁻" Rosenbaum, A. J.,† Juers, D.H., Juhasz, M. A.* Inorganic Chemistry, 2013, 52 (19), 10717-10719.
doi:10.1021/ic4015306

† denotes Whitman student coauthor

Alumni

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Sebastian Squire, '25 - Ph.D. student at UC Riverside
Claire Andrus, '24 - B.A. Chemistry and Anthropology double major at Whitman College
Daria Alicic, '24 - Pharmacy Graduate School at Washington State University
Dori Buttleman, '25 - Master of Public Health student at Columbia University
Sam Weiss, '23 - Chemistry Ph.D. student at University of Oregon
Woody Walters, '22 - R&D Chemist at Sherwin-Williams, Cleveland, OH
Grant Domecus, '21 - Scientist, Thermo Fisher Scientific, South San Francisco, CA
Dr. Ashe Kamin, '20 - Ph.D. (Chemistry) at University of Washington with Diane Xiao
Dr. Ethan Raffman, '20 - Ph.D. (Chemistry) UC Irvine, postdoc with Dr. Jeffrey Lipshultz at Stony Brook University
Natalie Hodis, '21 - Streetscape Engineering Specialist, Seattle, WA
William Mendelsohn, '18 - Laboratory Operations Assistant, Foundation Medicine, Cambridge, MA
Greg Hof, '18 - Chemistry Major, Whitman Class of 2018
Julian Reed, '18 - Research Associate, Molecular Testing Labs, Vancouver, WA
Austin Shaff, '17 - Chemistry Ph.D. student at University of Washington
Walker Bruhn, '17 - Systems Administrator, Baker Boyer Bank, Walla Walla, WA
Dr. Clint Vorauer, '16 - Founder & CEO, Baselayer Biosciences, Seattle, WA
Dr. Greg Dwulet, '15 - Patent Agent, Ether Patents LLC, Bellingham, WA
Graham Matheson, '15 - R&D Project Manager at Oerlikon AM, Munich, Germany
H. Rosie Midget, '15 - Attorney/Law Clerk, Oregon Court of Appeals, Portland, OR
Dr. Paul Chang, '13 - Pulmonologist, New Orleans, LA
Dr. Aaron Rosenbaum, '12 - Anaesthesiologist, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, UT
Dr. Laura Coulson, '12 - Postdoctoral Researcher, WasserCluster, Lunz, Austria
Nathan Neff-Mallon, '12 - Software Support Engineer at ColdQuanta, Madison, WI
Dr. Donna Phan, '12 - Cardiothoracic Surgeon, New York, NY
Matthew Badura, '11 - Senior Product Data Analyst, Celigo
Kieran Burkholder, '11 - Swimming Coach and Ballet Performer, Helena, MT