Department of Chemistry

University of California, Davis

tantillo@chem.ucdavis.edu

530-754-5635

 

 

Born (1973) and raised in Quincy, Massachusetts, USA

AB, Chemistry, Harvard University, 1991-1995

PhD, Chemistry, UCLA, 1995-2000

with Ken Houk

Postdoctoral Associate, Cornell University, 2000-2003

with Roald Hoffmann

Assistant Professor, UC Davis, 2003-2008

Associate Professor, UC Davis, 2008-present

 

Detailed CV

LinkedIn Profile

 

Our research is driven by intriguing mechanistic questions and spans many areas of organic chemistry. These include enzyme catalyzed reactions, reactive intermediate promoted polycyclization (RIPP) reactions, catalyst design, physical organometallic chemistry, carbocation structures and rearrangements, pericyclic reactions, regio- and stereoselectivity of synthetically useful reactions, aromaticity, organic chemistry on metal surfaces, computational functional genomics, and computer-aided design of enzyme inhibitors.

Our group is particularly interested in understanding the mechanisms of various cascade polycyclization reactions used by Nature and by chemists to synthesize complex natural products such as those shown below.

We are also exploring the concept of "transition state complexation" as an approach towards designing new catalysts for otherwise unfavorable organic reactions, such as formally "forbidden" pericyclic reactions.

Our primary tool for tackling these mechanistic problems is quantum chemistry. We apply various methods - e.g. Hartree-Fock and post-Hartree-Fock theories, density functional theory - to compute structures, relative energies, activation barriers, NMR and IR spectra, isotope effects, and solvation effects. One of our favorite approaches involves using "theozymes" - theoretical enzymes - to design biological and non-biological catalysts.

Using these methods, we like to make structural and reactivity predictions. Then we like to see if these predictions are born out in the laboratory.

 

Research Projects

Publications

Cover Gallery

Collaborators

Press

Grant Support

Computational Methods

SYLICCO Conference

Chemical Biology Innovation Group (CBIG)

Department of Chemistry

Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry Graduate Group

 

Dean has taught both graduate and undergraduate chemistry classes for both chemistry and non-chemistry audiences. These classes have ranged in size from less than ten to over three hundred students. For more details, follow the links below.

 

Dean's Teaching Experience and Awards

Dean's Teaching Philosophy

Links to Current Classes

Links to Past Classes

COSMOS

 

We now number 10: Dean, six grad students, two undergrads and one visiting scientist.

 

Current Group Members

The Group in Action

Group Alumni

Group News

Awards Earned by Group Members

Tour of the Labs

 

 

Symmetry, science, and life

Representation and presentation

Old books and physical organic history

Organic models and modelers

Chemical wordplay

Logic and perspective

Snow and snowflakes

Green is good

Some acknowledgments

Beyond chemistry - interested in virtual volunteering?

 

Contact Dean with any questions, comments, or suggestions...