Department of Chemistry

Associate Professor

Physical organic chemistry

S529B, Science Building
Email: mccallumr@wpunj.edu
Phone: (973)-720-3462

Research Interests

My research interests can be divided into two areas: 1) Physical-Organic Chemistry and 2) Environmental Chemistry. In physical-organic chemistry my general interest is in the relation between structure and function, specifically with the effect on structure with the reaction of alkenes with diimide, and, in collaboration with a colleague, the relationship between the structure of the base guanine and its photo-oxidation. This latter research is applicable to the study of DNA degradation (causing cancer and mutations), guanine being one of the four bases of DNA and being the most easily oxidized. In environmental chemistry I remain interested in nutrient flow in estuarine ecosystems, particularly salt marshes, and the application of the Second law of Thermodynamics (the Entropy Law) to systems from transportation to agriculture, and particularly in terms of national energy policy.

Selected Publications

Robert J. McCallum, Organic Chemistry Laboratory, 5 th combined Ed. (2008)

Robert J. McCallum, College Chemistry Laboratory, 4 th Ed. (2006)

Amber F. Charlebois and Robert J. McCallum, Organic BiochemistryLaboratory, 2 nd Ed. (2006)