Max Gunter
Professor, Chemistry
Qualifications
Bachelor of Science, Doctor of Philosophy, Chartered Chemist, Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, Fellow of the Chemical Society (UK)
Contact
| Email: | mgunter@une.edu.au |
| Room: | Riggs Building 2.02 |
| Phone: | 02 6773 2767 (or +61 2 6773 2767 overseas) |
| Fax: | 02 6773 3268 |
| Homepage: | http://www.une.edu.au/chemistry/research/gunter.shtml |
Research interests
The main area of this research is the synthesis and detailed investigation of the physical properties and chemical reactivity of novel porphyrin-containing model systems. These are designed either to mimic the active site structures or the functions of various naturally occurring systems, or alternatively to produce unnatural systems and new materials which have novel properties. Of particular interest is the potential of these systems for use in advanced technologies such as molecular engineering and microelectronics.
We utilise the concepts of supramolecular chemistry (ie the chemistry of non-covalent interactions between molecules) to design and construct systems containing a metalloporphyrin which acts as the reactive site which can then be adressed by external stimuli such as light, electricity, or chemical change.
In some instances the systems are constructed with an attached reversible molecular binding site for selected organic substrates. By careful design, the recognition elements of these container molecules are varied to suit specific types of substrates. The synthesis, substrate binding ability, and chemical reactivity of these "synthetic enzymes" are then investigated by a variety of techniques. Their applicability to other novel unnatural functions is of equal interest.
Porphyrin-based model systems are also used for artificial photosynthesis systems, molecular-scale electronic devices, molecular machines, and advanced materials. For this research area, porphyrins containing attached electron acceptor molecules (covalently, mechanically, or reversibly bound) are synthesised and their chemical and physical properties are studied in detail. Of particular interest are porphyrin-containing catenanes (resembling chain links) and rotaxanes (resembling a shuttle and thread). Depending on their design, these molecules can function as nanometer scale electronic relays or switching devices, which can be operated by visible light, or by electrical or chemical stimulation. There is some collaboration with groups outside this University with expertise in photochemistry and electrochemistry.
There are also collaborative projects with Jeremy Sanders and Nick Bampos at the University of Cambridge. These are particularly related to the attachment of supramolecular components onto polymer beads, and investigation of the dynamic processes that occur as the systems assemble between solid and solution phases. For these studies we make use of gel-phase high resolution amgic angle spinning (HR-MAS) NMR. There are also other programs concerned with nanotechnology, and the use of rigid space-separated porphyrins as the basis for molecular switches and molecular recognition sites, and involves multi-porphyrin systems capable of catalysing bimolecular reactions.
Teaching Interests:
General chemistry; organic chemistry; coordination and inorganic chemistry; supramolecular chemistry; materials chemistry General chemistry; organic chemistry; coordination and inorganic chemistry; supramolecular chemistry; materials chemistry.
BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Max Gunter received his primary degree and subsequently his PhD (chemistry) in 1975 from the University of New England. After some years of postdoctoral positions in the UK, he spent seven years as a Research Fellow at the Research School of Chemistry at the ANU in Canberra, before returning to an academic position at his alma mater, UNE, in 1984. He was head of the Department of Chemistry from 1994 to 1998 and subsequently Convenor of Chemistry from 2001 to the present date.
His research interests span the traditional areas of biological, inorganic and organic chemistry, and extends into the relatively recent branch of supramolecular chemistry. He is especially interested in porphyrins, including their coordination chemistry, and their use in both natural and unnatural (synthetic) systems.
Speciality Area/s:
Porphyrin Supramolecular chemistry
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Flexible self-assembling porphyrin supramolecules. K. D. Johnstone, K. Yamaguchi, M. J. Gunter. Org. Biomol. Chem., 2005, 3, 3008-3017.
Dynamic synthesis of a macrocycle containing a porphyrin and an electron donor. A. L. Keiran, S. I. Pascu, T. Jarrosson, M. J. Gunter, J. K. M. Sanders, Chem. Commun., 2005, 1842-1844.
Neutral Donor-acceptor Porphyrin-stoppered [2]Rotaxanes. M. J. Gunter, Z. Merican. Supramolecular Chem., 2005, 17, 521—528.
Multiporphyrin Arrays Assembled Through Hydrogen Bonding. M. J. Gunter, Struct. Bonding, 2006, 197, 1-33.
Amide-appended porphyrins as scaffolds for catenanes, rotaxanes and anion receptors. M. J. Gunter, S. M. Farquhar and K. M. Mullen, New J. Chem., 2004, 28, 1443-1449.
Superstructured Porphyrins as Effectors in Dynamic Supramolecular Assemblies: Catenanes, Rotaxanes and Receptors. M. J. Gunter, Eur. J. Org. Chem., 2004, 1655-1673.
Structural homology and dynamic variation in a series of porphyrin bipyridinium receptors and their [2]catenanes M. J. Gunter, T. P. Jeynes and P. Turner, Eur. J. Org. Chem., 2004, 193-208.
The effects of catenation on the acidity constants of porphyrin [2]catenanes M. J. Gunter and S. M. Farquhar, T. P. Jeynes, J. Porphyrins Phthalocyanines, 2003, 7, 667-673.
Translational isomerism and dynamics in multi-hydroquinol porphyrin [2]- and [3]-catenanes. M. J. Gunter, S. M. Farquhar and T. P. Jeynes, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2003, 1, 4097-4112.
Neutral pi-associated porphyrin [2]catenanes. M. J. Gunter, S. M. Farquhar, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2003, 3450-3457.
A self-assembling polymer-bound rotaxane under thermodynamic control. K. D Johnstone, N. Bampos, J. K. M. Sanders, M. J . Gunter, Chem. Commun., 2003, 1396-1397.
Photoinduced electron transfer between the interlocked components of porphyrin catenanes. Effect of the presence of non equivalent reduction sites on the charge recombination rate. L. Flamigni, A. M. Talarico, S. Serroni, F. Puntoriero, M. J. Gunter, M. R. Johnston, T. P. Jeynes, Chem. Eur. J., 2003, 9, 2649-2659.
Photoinduced electron transfer in paraquat inclusion complexes of porphyrin-based receptors. L. Flamigni, A. M. Talarico, M. J. Gunter, M. R. Johnston, T. P. Jeynes, New J. Chem., 2003, 27, 551-559.
Establishing a library of porphyrin building blocks for superstructured assemblies: porphyrin dienes and dienophiles for cycloaddition reactions. M. J. Gunter, H. Tang, R. N. Warrener, J. Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines, 2002, 6, 673-684.
A Building BLOCK Approach to Bis-porphyrin Cavity Systems with Convergent and Divergent Wall Orientations. M. R. Johnston, M. J. Gunter, and R. N. Warrener, Tetrahedron, 2002, 58, 3445-3451.
Thermodynamically Self-Assembling Porphyrin-Stoppered Rotaxanes. M. J. Gunter, N. Bampos, K. D. Johnstone, J. K. M. Sanders, New J. Chem., 2001, 25, 166-173.
Macrocyclisation and Molecular Interlocking via Mitsunobu Alkylation: Highlighting the Role of CH...O interactions in Templating. J. G. Hansen, N. Feeder, D. G. Hamilton, M. J. Gunter, J. Becher, J. K. M. Sanders, Org. Letters, 2000, 2, 449-452.
Porphodimethylidenes from Porphyrin-Fused 3-Sulfolenes Versatile Porphyrin Dienes for Cycloadditions. M. J. Gunter, H. Tang, R. N. Warrener. J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 1999, 803-804
New Porphyrin 4p-Cycloaddition Reagents and Their Use in the Preparation of Porphyrin-(Rigid Spacer)-1,10-Phenanthrolines in which Geometric 'Tuning' of the Chromophores is a Feature. R.N. Warrener, A.C. Schultz, M.R. Johnston, M.J. Gunter. J. Org. Chem., 1999, 64, 4218-4219.
Porphodimethylidenes from Porphyrin-Fused 3-Sulfolenes - Versatile Porphyrin Dienes for Cycloadditions. M. J. Gunter, H. Tang, R. N. Warrener. J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 1999, 803-804
New Porphyrin 4pi-Cycloaddition Reagents and Their Use in the Preparation of Porphyrin-(Rigid Spacer)-1,10-Phenanthrolines in which Geometric 'Tuning' of the Chromophores is a Feature. R.N. Warrener, A.C. Schultz, M.R. Johnston, M.J. Gunter. J. Org. Chem., 1999, 64, 4218-4219.
Templated Formation of a Porphyrin-Based Molecular Universal Joint. M. R. Johnston, M. J. Gunter, R. N. Warrener. J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 1998, 2739.
Preparation of New Porphyrin BLOCKs and their Application to the Synthesis of Spacer and Cavity Ribbon Structures. R. N. Warrener, M. R. Johnston, M. J. Gunter. Synlett., 1998 (6), 593-596.
Structural Control of Co-Receptor Binding in Porphyrin-Bipyridinium Supramolecular Assemblies. M.J. Gunter, T.P. Jeynes, M.R. Johnston, P. Turner, Z. Chen. J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, 1998 (12), 1945-1957.
Photoinduced Electron Transfer in p-Donor Capped Zn(II)-Porphyrins and N,N'-Dimethyl-4,4'-Bipyridinium Supramolecular Assemblies. E. Kaganer, E. Joselevich, I. Willner, Z. Chen, M. J. Gunter, T. P. Jeynes, M. R. Johnston. J. Phys. Chem., 1998, 102, 1159 - 1165.
The influence of the axial ligand on the solid-state structures of pentacoordinate manganese tetraphenylporphyrin complexes. P. Turner, M. J. Gunter, B. W. Skelton and A. H. White. Aust. J. Chem., 1998, 51, 853-864.