James A. Ashenhurst, Ph.D., M.Sc., B. Sc.

170 Maitland Ave N.

Listowel, Ont

james@jamesashenhurst.net



Current Projects


Feb 2010-present       

“Master Organic Chemistry” [masterorganicchemistry.com]

Website devoted to illustrating the key concepts of undergraduate organic chemistry


July 2009-present       

Writechem (www.writechem.com)

Scientific editing service



Education and Experience


Dec 2008-Present: Lady Davis Postdoctoral Fellow

Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Advisor: Professor Edit Tshuva

Post-doctoral Studies: Medicinal Chemistry


Nov 2006-Oct 2008 : FQRNT Postdoctoral Fellow

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Advisor: Professor Mohammad Movassaghi

Post-doctoral Studies: Organic Chemistry


2001-2006 : Graduate Student

McGill University, Montreal, Quebec.

Advisor: Professor James L. Gleason

Degree: Organic Chemistry, Ph.D., McGill University


1997-1999 : Graduate Student

Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario.

Advisor: Professors Suning Wang and Gang Wu

Degree: Inorganic Chemistry, M.Sc., Queen’s University


1992-1997  : Undergraduate Student

Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario.

Advisor: Professor Almeria Natansohn

Degree: Chemistry, B.Sc. with Honors, Queen’s University


Awards


2009 - Lady Davis Postdoctoral Fellowship

2008 - Stereochemistry GRC Chair’s Award

2007 - FQRNT Postdoctoral Fellowship

2005 -Best Student Oral Presentation, Organic Division, 88th CSC Canadian Chemistry Conference, Saskatoon

2004 - Robert Zamboni Travel Scholarship

2002-2003 - Walter C. Sumner Fellowship



Publications


  1. 15.Ashenhurst, J. A. “Intermolecular Cross-Coupling of Arenes”. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2010, 39, 540-548


14. Ashenhurst, J. A.; Isakovic, L.; Gleason, J. L. “Application of a [6+4] Cycloaddition Strategy Toward the Total Synthesis of CP-225,917”.  Tetrahedron, 2010, 66, 368-378


13. Kim, J.; Ashenhurst, J. A.; Movassaghi, M. “Total Synthesis of (+)-11,11’-Dideoxyverticillin A ”. Science, 2009, 324, 238-241.


12. Tshuva, E. Y.; Ashenhurst, J. A. “Cytotoxic Titanium (IV) Complexes: Renaissance”. Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2009, 2193.


11. Hudon, J.; Cernak, T. A.; Ashenhurst, J. A.; Gleason, J. L. “Stable 5–Substituted Cyclopentadienes for the Diels-Alder Cycloaddition and their Application to Palau’amine Synthesis”. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2008, 47, 8885-8888.


10. Ashenhurst, J. A.; Gleason, J. L. “CP–225,917 Synthetic Studies: Unusual Hydroboration Regioselectivity Influenced by Remote Functional Groups”. Tetrahedron Letters, 2008, 49, 504-507.


9. Movassaghi, M.; Schmidt, M.A.; Ashenhurst, J.A.; “Stereoselective Oxidative Rearrangement of 2-Aryl Tryptamine Derivatives”. Organic Letters, 2008, 10, 4009-4012


  1. 8.Movassaghi, M.; Schmidt, M.A.; Ashenhurst, J.A.; “Total Synthesis of (+)-WIN-64821 and (-)  Ditryptophenaline”. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2008, 47, 1485-1487


  1. 7.Ashenhurst, J.A. ; Gleason, J.L. “CP-225,917 Synthetic Studies. Unusual Hydroboration Regioselectivity Influenced by Remote Functional Groups”. Tetrahedron Letters 2008, 49, 504-507


  1. 6.Isakovic, L.; Ashenhurst, J. A.; Gleason, J. L.   "Application of Lewis Acid Catalyzed Tropone [6+4] Cycloadditions to the Synthesis of the Core of CP-225,917". Organic Letters, 2001, 3, 4189-4192


  1. 5.Ashenhurst, J.; Wang, S.; Wu, G. "Probing the Origin of Disorder in Polynuclear Aluminum 7-Azaindolyl Complexes by 27Al Multiple Quantum Magic Angle Spinning NMR", J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 3528-3529


4. Ashenhurst, J.; Wu, G.;  Wang, S. "Syntheses, Structures, Solution and Solid-State   27-Al NMR Studies of Blue Luminescent Mononuclear Aluminum Complexes: Al(7-azain)2(7-azain-H)(CH3), Al(7-azain)3(7-azain-H), and Al(7-azain)(7-azain-H)(OCH(CF3)2)2 (7-azain-H = 7-azaindole)",  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 2541-2547


3. Ashenhurst, J.;  Brancaleon, L.; Gao, S.; Liu, W.; Schmider, H.; Wang, S.; Wu, G.; Wu, Q.G. "Blue Luminescent Organoaluminum Compounds: Al(CH3)2(dpa), Al2(CH3)5(dpa)2, Al4(O)2(CH3)6(dpa)2 and Al(pfap)3, dpa=Deprotonated Di-2-pyridylamine, pfap=Deprotonated 2-Pentafluoroanilinopyridine",  Organometallics. 1998, 17, 5334-5341


  1. 2.Ashenhurst, J.; Brancaleon, L.; Hassan, A.;  Liu, W.;  Schmider, H.;  Wang, S.; Wu, Q.  "Blue Luminescent Organoaluminum Compounds: Al2(CH3)2(7-azain)4, Al2(CH3)(OCH(CF3)2)3(7-azain)4, Al2(CH3)(OCH(CF3)2)3(7-azain)2, Al2(u-OCH(CF3)2(CH3)(7-azain)2(OCH(CF3)2)2, Al3(u3-O)(CH3)(7-azain)4(OCH(CF3)2)2 and Al4(u3-O)2(7-azain)6(OCH(CF3)2)2 (7-azain= Deprotonated 7-azaindole)",  Organometallics. 1998, 17,  3186-3195


1.  Kreyenschmidt, M.; Klaerner, G.; Fuhrer, T.;  Ashenhurst, J.;  Karg, S.;  Chen, W.D.; Lee,  V. Y.;  Scott, J. C.;  Miller, R. D.  “Thermally Stable Blue Light Emitting Copolymers of Poly(alkylfluorene)", Macromolecules, 1998, 31, 1099-1103



Selected Presentations


“Biosynthetic Considerations in the Development of New Reactions: Application to Alkaloid Synthesis”, at McGill University Department of Chemistry, Montreal, Canada December 18, 2009.


“Biosynthetic Considerations in the Development of New Reactions: Application to Alkaloid Synthesis”, at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel, November 4, 2009.


“Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (+)-WIN-64821 and (-)-Ditryptophenaline”, at the 17st Gordon Research Conference on Stereochemistry, Newport, Rhode Island, USA, July 27-31, 2008.


“Total Synthesis of (+)-WIN-64821 and (-)-Ditryptophenaline”, at the 91st Canadian Society for Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Edmonton, AB, May 26, 2008.


“Progress Toward the Total Synthesis of the Phomoidrides”, at the 88th Canadian Society for Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Saskatoon, SK, June 1, 2005.


“Progress Toward the Total Synthesis of the Phomoidrides”, at the 15th Quebec-Ontario Minisymposium in Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry, Ottawa, Ontario, November 7, 2004.


Selected Administrative and Teaching Duties:


President, McGill Chemistry Graduate Students’ Society, 2002-2004.

Course Tutor, Introductory Organic Chemistry (CHEM 212), McGill University, Fall 2004.

Teaching Assistant, Introductory Organic Chemistry (CHEM 212), McGill University, 2001-2003.

Teaching Assistant, Advanced Organic Chemistry (CHEM 346), McGill, 2004-2005.

Teaching Assistant, General Chemistry, (CHEM 112), Queen’s University, 1997-1999.