- Professor
Research Interests
Research efforts on a variety of projects concentrate on the use of fluorescence spectroscopy of jet-cooled molecules and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and laser Raman spectroscopies. Computer methods for quantum mechanical calculations and on-line instrument control are also utilized and developed. The dynamics of conformational energy changes in electronic ground and excited states are investigated by analyzing the far-infrared, mid-infrared, Raman and fluorescence data using quantum mechanical computational techniques. Such investigations on molecules, which possess large-amplitude motions such as ring inversions or internal rotations, lead to the determination of the equilibrium structures, potential energy barriers, pathways of interconversion and intramolecular forces. Recent work has focused on molecules that require two vibrational coordinates to define their conformations. For example, the conformational changes of cyclopentanes and cyclohexenes containing heteroatoms can be investigated using far-infrared and Raman spectra along with two-dimensional potential energy calculations. A tunable Nd:YAG based OPO laser system is used to study the conformations of molecules in electronic excited states. A supersonic jet system cools the molecules so that vibrational excited states are thermally depopulated. Fluorescence excitation spectra and ultraviolet absorption spectra, such as those shown below for 1,3-benzodioxole, can be recorded and analyzed to determine the vibrational potential energy surfaces for the electronic excited states of interest. The ultraviolet absorption spectra also shown below nicely complement the fluorescence studies. Dispersed fluorescence spectra aid in the analyses of the ground states. This type of information helps to better understand molecular properties and photochemical pathways in electronic excited states.
Educational Background
- University of Illinois(Urbana), B. S. in Chemistry (June, 1964); Highest Distinction in Chemistry; Kendall Award (Outstanding Senior in Chemistry) and Highest University Honors (Bronze Tablet); Research Advisor: T. L. Brown
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ph.D. in Chemistry (August, 1967); Kodak Award for Outstanding Chemistry Graduate Student (1967); Research Advisor: R.C. Lord.
- University of Tartu, Estonia, Honorary D.Sc., (2000).
Industry Experience
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Visiting Staff Member, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (summers)--- 1964-68
Assistant Professor, Tufts University--- 1967-68
Assistant (1968), Associate (1972), and Full (1976) Professor of Chemistry, Texas A&M University--- 1968-current
Visiting Professor, University of Bayreuth, Germany (Humboldt U. S. Senior Scientist Award)--- 1979-80, 1981, 1983
Visiting Professor, University of Ulm, Germany--- 1986
Visiting Professor, Stanford University--- 2002
Visiting Professor, University of Colorado (JILA)--- 2002
Professor of Physics & Astronomy, Texas A&M University--- 2007-current
Visiting Professor, Technische Universität, München, Germany (with A. Laubereau)--- 2009
Awards & Honors
E.J. James Scholar (1960-64)
A.P. Sloan Scholar (1962-64)
Illinois State Scholar (1960-1964)
W. Morova Scholar (1960-62)
Phi Eta Sigma (1961); Phi Kappa Phi (1962)
Chemical Rubber Award (1961)
A.S. Larsen Award (1961)
Tomahawk (Activity Honorary, 1961)
Kendall Award (The Outstanding Senior in Chemistry, 1964)
University Honors (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)
Bronze Tablet (Highest University Honors, 1964)
Phi Lambda Upsilon (1963)
National Science Foundation Fellow (1964-67)
Woodrow Wilson Fellow (1964-65)
Kodak Award (The Outstanding Graduate Student in Chemistry, 1967)
Alexander von Humboldt U.S. Senior Scientist Award (1979)
Association of Former Students Teaching Award (1982)
National Science Council Lectureship (Taiwan, 1984)
Fellow, American Physical Society (1996)
Fellow, American Institute of Chemists (1987)
Phi Beta Delta, International Honor Society (1987), president (1990-91)
Korean Chemical Society Lectureship (1989)
Waseda University (Tokyo) Lectureship (1996)
Elected to Estonian Academy of Science (1996)
University of Valladolid (Spain) University Lectureship (1997)
University of Ulm (Germany) Lectureship (1997)
Robert A. Welch Foundation Lectureship (1998-1999)
- Honorary Doctorate, University of Tartu, Estonia (2000)
Frontiers in Chemical Physics Lectures, The Ohio State University (2003)
EUCMOS Lectureship (Krakow, 2004)
Takahashi Lectureship (Tokyo, 2005)
E.R. Lippincott Award in Molecular Spectroscopy (2005)
- Humboldt Research Award (2009)
Selected Publications
"Spectroscopic and Theoretical Study of the Intramolecular Pi-type Hydrogen Bonding and Conformations of 2-cyclohexen-1-ol." E. J. Ocola and J. Laane, J. Phys. Chem. A, accepted (Dec. 2015).
"Anharmonic Vibrational Analysis of the Infrared and Raman Gas-Phase Spectra of s-trans- and s-gauche-1,3-Butadiene." S. V. Krasnoshchekov, N. C. Craig, P. Boopalachandran, J. Laane, and N. F. Stepanov, J. Phys. Chem. A, 119, 10706-10723 (2015).
"Infrared, Raman, and Ultraviolet Absorption Spectra and Theoretical Calculations and Structure of 2,3,5,6-Tetrafluoropyridine in its Ground and Excited Electronic States." H.-L. Sheu, P. Boopalachandran, S. Kim, and J. Laane, Chem. Phys., 456, 28-33 (2015).
"Vibrational Spectra, Theoretical Calculations, and Two-Dimensional Potential Energy Surface for the Ring-Puckering Vibrations of 2,4,7-Trioxa(3.3.0)-octane." H. J. Chun, N. Meinander, J. R. Villarreal, and J. Laane, J. Phys. Chem. A, 119, 410-417 (2015).
"Infrared and Raman Spectra, Theoretical Calculations, Conformations, and Two-Dimensional Potential Energy Surface of 2-Cyclopenten-1-one ethylene Ketal." H.-L. Sheu, N. Meinander, and J. Laane, J. Phys. Chem. A, 119, 1478-1485 (2015).
“Theoretical Calculations and Vibrational Potential Energy Surfaces of 4-Silaspiro(3,3)heptane.” E. J. Ocola, C. Medders, N. Meinander, and J. Laane, J. Chem. Phys., 140, 164315-(1-5) (2014).
“Vibrational Spectra, Theoretical Calculations, and Structure of 4-Silaspiro(3,3)heptane.” E. J. Ocola, C. Medders, J. M. Cooke, and J. Laane, Spectrochim. Acta, Part A, 130, 397-401 (2014).
“Theoretical Calculations, Far-Infrared Spectra and the Potential Energy Surfaces of Four Cyclic Silanes.” H.J. Chun, L. F. Colegrove, and J. Laane, Chem. Phys., 431-432, 15-19 (2014).
“Fluorescence Excitation and Ultraviolet Absorption Spectra and Theoretical Calculations for Benzocyclobutane. Vibrations and Structure of its Excited S1(π,π*) Electronic State.” H.W. Shin, E. J. Ocola, S. Kim, and J. Laane, J. Chem. Phys., 140, 034305-(1-10) (2014).
“Vapor-phase Raman spectra, theoretical calculations and the vibrational and structural properties of cis- and trans-stilbene.” T. Egawa, K. Shinashi, T. Ueda, E. J. Ocola, W.-Y. Chiang, and J. Laane, J. Phys. Chem. A, 118, 1103-1112 (2014).
“Infrared and Raman Spectra and Theoretical Calculations for Benzocyclobutane in its Electronic Ground State.” E. J. Ocola, H.W. Shin, and J. Laane, Spectrochim. Acta, Part A, 136, 58-63 (2014).