Chemistry and Biochemistry

Susan Collins

Photo of Dr. Susan Collins
Professor
Email:
Phone:
(818) 677-3367
Office location:
Citrus Hall 3314

Biography

EDUCATION

B.A., Rhode Island College, 1977
Ph.D., Florida State University, 1981

POSTDOCTORAL APPOINTMENT

Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, 1982
Max-Planck Institut fur Quantenoptik, Munich, Germany, 1984

COURSES TAUGHT

Chemistry 101, General Chemistry I
Chemistry 101L, General Chemistry I Laboratory
Chemistry 102, General Chemistry II
Chemistry 105, Principles of Chemistry
Chemistry 351, Physical Chemistry I
Chemistry 355, Fundamentals of Physical Chemistry
Chemistry 355L, Experimental Physical Chemistry
Chemistry 451, Modern Physical Chemistry

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Physical Chemistry
Professor Collins' main research interests are in the area of low-temperature (10K) spectroscopy. The technique of matrix isolation currently is being used to study hydrogen-bonding of water complexes to molecules of biological interest with Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Fluorescence Spectroscopy. The ultimate goal is to be able to study hydrogen-bonded complexes at 10K in order to elucidate the number of molecules that are in the complex by correlating FTIR structural studies with the excited state potential energy surfaces as indicated by luminescence data.

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

  1. "FTIR Spectroscopy of Flavones in Argon and Methanol: Argon Matrices at 10K. Reexamination of the Carbonyl Stretch Frequency of 3-Hydroxyflavone," Petroski, J. M., Valente, C. D. S., Kelson, E. P., Collins, S., J. Phys. Chem. A (2002) 106, 11714-11718. 
  2. "The Luminescence Spectra of the 8-Methoxypsoralen Excited-State Complexes and Photochemical Product in Argon, Methanol/Argon and Water/Argon Matrices at 10K," Brownfield, J. and Collins, S., J. Phys. Chem. (2000) 104, 3759-3763. 
  3. "Ground-State Triple Proton Transfer in 7-Hydroxyquinoline, 4. Observation in Room Temperature Methanol and Aqueous Solutions," Bohra, A., Lavin, A. and Collins, S., J. Phys. Chem. (1994) 988. 
  4. "Matrix-Isolation Studies of 7-Hydroxyquinoline, 3. Deuterium-Isotope and Xenon Matrix Effects," Lavin A. and Collins, S., J. Phys. Chem. (1993) 97, 13615. 
  5. "The Ground State Stabilization of the Keto Tautomer of the 7-Hydroxyquinoline Dier in Argon Matrices ar 10K," Lavin, A. and Collins, S., Chem. Phys. Lett. (1993) 207, 513. 
  6. "The Ground State Stabilization of the Keto Tautomer of the 7-Hydroxyquinoline n Methanol/Argon Matrices at 10K," Lavin, A., Collins, S. and Kasha, M., Chem. Phys. Lett. (1993) 204, 96. 
  7. "Monohydrate Catalysis of Excited-State Double-Proton Transfer in 7-Azaindole," Chou, P.T., Martinez, M., Cooper, W., McMorrow, D., Collins, S. and Kasha. M., J. Phys. Chem. (1992) 96, 5203. 
  8. "The Photochemistry of RDX in Solid Argon at 10K," Alix, J. and Collins, S., Can. J. Chem. (1991) 69, 1535. 
  9. "The Photochemistry of 2-Butyne in Solid Xenon at 10K," Collins, S., J. Phys. Chem. (1990) 94, 5240. 
  10. "The Photochemistry of ( µ3- 2-CH3CH2C CCH2CH3)(µ-CO)Os3(CO)9 and (µ3- µ3-CH3CH2C=C=C(H)CH3)-(µ-H))Os(CO)9 in Rare Gas matrices at 10K," Moran, W., Johnson, G., and Collins, S., J. Mol. Struct. (1990) 222, 235.

M. S. THESES
Matrix Isolations Spectroscpoy of 5-Hydroxyflavone (1995) Petroski, J.
Matrix-Isolation Spectroscopy of 7-Hydroxyquinoline (1993) Lavin, A.
Matrix Isolation Spectroscopy of Triosmium Clusters (1990) Moran, W.
The Potential Energy Curves of Argon Sulfide (1989) Lauderdale, W. J.