Research conducted by Central College faculty, students and alumni was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal, Supramolecular Chemistry. The article, “A Practical Synthesis of Cambiarenes with Mechanistic Insights,” was written by Jay Wackerly, associate professor of chemistry, along with current students Piper Eighmy, Class of 2027, and Katherine Morrison, Class of 2026, and alumni McKenna Burgess, Class of 2025, and Amy Philavanh, Class of 2022.
The Central researchers developed a simpler and more affordable way to make a promising ring-shaped molecule known as a “cambiarenes.” These molecules can switch between chemical states and hold potential for use in a wide array of applications. Previous methods relied on expensive, moisture-sensitive chemicals that limited widespread use. The new technique uses inexpensive, commercially available materials under mild conditions, making production more practical and accessible.
The team also uncovered how the molecule forms, showing that smaller units first link together into long chains before folding and then cutting themselves into the stable ring form. This insight may support the expanded use of cambiarenes in future materials.
Morrison, biochemistry major from Waukee, Iowa, contributed to the paper through her discovery of an important mechanistic feature of the reaction. Her involvement in the study began with an unexpected observation in the lab.
“I found some data that just looked a little bit strange to me, and I didn’t understand why the reaction was working the way it was,” she says. “After discussing the results with Dr. Wackerly, I spent a semester investigating the reaction and synthesizing short chains to gather evidence for our proposed mechanism. We can’t actually watch the reaction happen on the molecular level, but we were able to provide enough evidence to propose what we think is going on.”
Eighmy, biology major from Birmingham, Alabama, adds, “The most interesting part of the research is the impact it can have for medicinal drug delivery. It relates a lot to my biology major. I’m a pre-med student, so I can see applications of that in my future career.”
“I cannot overstate the quality of the science and effort in the laboratory from each of these students,” Wackerly says. “All of the experiments in this study were conducted by these four students, most of them occurring during summer research. While Kenna and Amy have graduated and moved on in their careers where they are utilizing the reasoning and problem-solving skills they developed at Central, Piper and Katie are still at work making discoveries in the lab. However, I have no doubt their successes at Central will lead to great outcomes in their next steps as well. These value-added academic opportunities available for students at Central, provide the highest quality of undergraduate education.”
Student research plays a vital role at Central, giving students the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world questions while working closely with faculty mentors.
“I plan to continue research at Central over the summer,” Eighmy says. “We will continue work on this research, and there is a new project that we’re interested in looking at. I love that I get to do cool research opportunities like this.”
Through hands-on research experiences, students develop critical thinking, problem-solving and communication skills that prepare them for graduate study and professional careers.
Morrison has secured a post-baccalaureate internship at the University of Iowa.
“It’s an opportunity to get a little more experience in a large university lab. Having this publication helped me get that job,” she says. “The best skill that I learned through this research was how to learn quickly. It’s not always about what I know and know how to do, but how can I pick up whatever I need to do next as quickly as possible. I have learned how to notice the details, how to read a procedure and figure out the first steps.”
This multi-year research project was funded by the National Science Foundation, Organic Syntheses Summer Research Grant, the Moore Family Foundation and Central.
