Jeff Byers
Office
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 551
Tel
(802) 443-5207
Email
byers@middlebury.edu
Office Hours
Spring 2024: On leave

Jeff Byers is a synthetic organic chemist, having received a B.S. degree from the University of Rochester in 1979 and a Ph.D. from Dartmouth College in 1984, where he worked in the group of Thomas A. Spencer . He held a postdoctoral fellowship in the group of Gary Keck at the University of Utah before joining the Middlebury faculty in 1986. Jeff is currently on leave.

His teaching interests lie predominately in General Chemistry (CHEM 0103, CHEM 0104) and Introductory and Advanced Organic Chemistry (CHEM 0241, CHEM 0242 and CHEM 0442). He has also taught Freshman Seminars entitled “Fraud, Foolishness, and Serendipity”, and “Smart Energy Choices” in recent years.  He has also been experimenting in the use of social networking sites such as Facebook as tools for collaborative learning in chemistry courses.

Hobbies and Interests included hiking (especially peak-bagging), skiing (nordic and alpine), running and piano.

He authors a blog on trailrunning in Addison County called “The Middlebury Trailrunner

Courses Taught

Course Description

General Chemistry I
Major topics will include atomic theory and atomic structure; chemical bonding; stoichiometry; introduction to chemical thermodynamics. States of matter; solutions and nuclear chemistry. Laboratory work deals with testing of theories by various quantitative methods. Students with strong secondary school preparation are encouraged to consult the department chair for permission to elect CHEM 0104 or CHEM 0107 in place of this course. CHEM 0103 is also an appropriate course for a student with little or no prior preparation in chemistry who would like to learn about basic chemical principles while fulfilling the SCI or DED distribution requirement. 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab, 1 hr. disc.

Terms Taught

Spring 2021

Requirements

DED, SCI

View in Course Catalog

Course Description

Organic Chemistry I: Structure and Reactivity
The course will provide students with an introduction to the structure and reactivity of organic molecules sufficient to continue directly to the study of biochemistry (CHEM 0322). Topics covered will include models of chemical bonding, acid-base relationships, three-dimensional molecular structure (conformations and stereochemistry), reaction mechanisms and energy diagrams, substitution and elimination reactions, carbonyl reactions (additions, reductions, interconversions, and alpha-reactivity), and the fundamentals of biological molecules (carbohydrates, DNA, and RNA). Laboratory experiments will relate to purification techniques (recrystallization, distillation, extraction, and chromatography), as well as microscale organic reactions that complement the lecture material. (CHEM 0104 or CHEM 0107) 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab.

Terms Taught

Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022

Requirements

SCI

View in Course Catalog

Course Description

Organic Chemistry II: Synthesis and Spectroscopy
In this course we will explore how organic molecules are made and their structures are identified. The study of organic reactions will continue from CHEM 0203 with radical reactions, alkene and alkyne additions, aromatic reactions, oxidations and reductions, and additional carbonyl reactions. Emphasis in this course will be placed on using reactions in sequences to synthesize larger and more complex molecules. The theory and practice of mass spectrometry and UV-Vis, IR, and NMR spectroscopy will be studied as a means to elucidate the exact structures of organic molecules. Laboratory experiments will focus on synthetic techniques that complement the lecture material and the identification of complex unknowns via
GC-MS, IR, and NMR. (CHEM 0203) 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab.

Terms Taught

Fall 2021, Spring 2022

View in Course Catalog

Course Description

Advanced Organic Chemistry
This course covers advanced topics in organic chemistry, with the goal of bringing students to the point where they have the knowledge necessary to become lifelong learners of organic chemistry through primary literature, rather than reliance on textbooks. With this goal in mind, the course will cover qualitative molecular orbital theory and reactive intermediates beyond the anion and cation chemistry which form the main body of the introductory organic chemistry sequence. More advanced techniques in NMR spectroscopy, stereochemistry, and conformational analysis will also be covered, and the course will culminate in literature examples of total synthesis of natural products, and a final project involving authoring a Wikipedia page on a topic of interest relating to organic chemistry. (CHEM 0204 or CHEM 0242)

Terms Taught

Spring 2021, Spring 2023

View in Course Catalog

Course Description

Independent Study Project
Individual study for qualified students. (Approval required)

Terms Taught

Winter 2020, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Winter 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Winter 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Fall 2024, Winter 2025

View in Course Catalog

Course Description

Senior Research
In this course students complete individual projects involving laboratory research on a topic chosen by the student and a faculty advisor. Prior to registering for CHEM 0700, a student must have discussed and agreed upon a project topic with a faculty member in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department. Attendance at all Chemistry and Biochemistry Department seminars is expected. (Approval required; open only to seniors)

Terms Taught

Winter 2020, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Winter 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Winter 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Fall 2024, Winter 2025

View in Course Catalog

Course Description

Senior Thesis
Students who have initiated research projects in CHEM 0400 and who plan to complete a senior thesis should register for CHEM 0701. Students are required to write a thesis, give a public presentation, and defend their thesis before a committee of at least three faculty members. The final grade will be determined by the department. Attendance at all Chemistry and Biochemistry Department seminars is expected. (CHEM 0400; approval required)

Terms Taught

Winter 2020, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Winter 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Winter 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Fall 2024, Winter 2025

View in Course Catalog

Publications

“Social Networking Sites for Online Collaboration in Chemistry Courses:  A Facebook Experiment”  Byers, J. H.  The Chemical Educator, 2011 (online journal).

“Radical Aromatic Substitution with Benzene Chromiumtricarbonyl” Byers, J. H.*; Neale, N. R.*; Alexander, J. B.* Gangemi, S. P.* Tetrahedron Lett. 2007, 48, 7903-7905.

“The Radical Addition of Dimethyl 2-Ethynylcyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylate to Electron-Rich Olefins” Byers, J. H.; Goff, P. H.*; Janson, N. J.*; Mazzotta, M. G.*; Swigor, J. E. Synthetic Commun. 2007, 37, 1865-1871.

“Radical Additions to (n6-Styrene) Chromium Tricarbonyl” Byers, J. H.; Janson, N. J.* Organic Lett. 2006, 8, 3453.

“Thiocarbonyldiimidazole” Byers, J.H. Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis, L. A. Paquette, Ed. Wiley, 2006.

“Radical Reactions Mediated by Cyclobutadieneiron Tricarbonyl” Byers, J. H.; Sontum, S. F.; Dimitrova, T. S.*; Huque, S.*; Zhang, Y.*; Zegarelli, B. M.*; Jasinski, J. P; Butcher, R. P. Organometallics 2006, 25, 3787.

“Tandem Radical-Electrophilic Annulations to Pyrrole” Byers, J. H.; DeWitt, A.*; Nasveschuk, C. G.*; Swigor, J. E. Tetrahedron Lett., 2004, 45, 6587-6590.

“A One-step Radical Synthesis of Pyrrol-2-Acetic Acids” Byers, J. H.; Duff, M. P.*; Woo, G. W.*, Tetrahedron Lett., 2003, 44, 6853-6855 .

“Syntheses of 3-Acylindoles via the Alkylation of the Dianion of 3-Acetylindole” Byers, J. H.; Zhang, Y.* Heterocycles, 2002, 57, 1293-1297.