Scientific Research at Department of Chemistry University of Tartu chem.ut.ee

1. Scientific Research at Department of ChemistryUniversity of Tartuwww.chem.ut.ee

2. World-famous chemists who have worked at UT • Herman Hess(1821-1825) • one of the founders of thermochemistry • Moritz Hermann Jacobi(1835-1837) • the inventor of galvanoplastics • Wilhelm Ostwald(1871-1881) • one of the founders of physical chemistry • Nobel prize 1909, for his contributions in the field of rates and equilibria of chemical reactions • first pKa values of acids • GustavTammann(1879-1902) • milestone works on solid-liquid phase equilibria

3. Personnel • Ca 72 teaching and research staff • Incl 3 members of Estonian Academy of Sciences • Ca 50 Doctoral Students (chemistry PhD curriculum) • Ca 60 Master Students (chemistry master curricula)

4. Grants, Projects • During the period 1999-2005 the participants of DoC have had or have: • 17 targeted financing or postdoctoral projects from the Ministry of Education and Science or ESTAG • over 50 grantsfrom Estonian Science Foundation • 36different other contractsfrom Estonia and 24 grants or contractsfrom abroad (FW5, FW6, etc) respectively

5. Grants, Projects • Among them • Numerous contracts and other support from Estonian Private sector (e.g., AS Silmet, AS Elcogen, etc.) • or foreign private sector (e.g. Schenten Glasgroap, Bruker AXJ, Aqua Consult GmbH, Svenska Superfarad AB, Toyota Motor Inc., Dow Chemical Co., etc.).

6. Publications • During the period 1998-2005 • 345ISI-referenced publications, • 6 monographs or their parts • 10 patent applications filed (or approved) • Three co-workers of DoC (I.Koppel, J.Järv, M.Karelson) have been awarded the Estonian State Prize • 38 Ph.D. dissertations defended

7. Main research directions Chemical synthesis Analytical chemistry Computational Chemistry Bioorganic chemistry Materials science and nanotechnology Physical and Electrochemistry

8. Computational Chemistry Computational chemistry • Computational studies of reactions between Lewis bases and alkali metal cations, Prof. P. Burk JPC A, 2000, 104, 2824

9. Material science and nanotechnology • Computational studies of zeolites and reactions catalyzed by zeolites (Prof. P. Burk)

10. Design and studies of superacids ... • Design and studies of novel superacids and superbases (I.Leito, I.Koppel, P.Burk) JACS, 2000, 122, 5114 JACS, 2002, 124, 5594

11. ... and Superbases (imme)3P=NH GPB = 280.8 kcal/mol JACS, 2005, 127, 17656

12. Analytical chemistry Analytical Chemistry • Applied research in analytical chemistry, measurement uncertainty, interlaboratory comparison measurements and providing related services to the community (I.Leito, K.Herodes)

13. Environmental Analysis • Development and mathematical modelling of biosensors for environmental monitoring. • The immobilization of biological materials was optimized in order to improve the output performance of biosensors • Mathematical modeling of amperometric biosensors • Prof. T. Tenno, Dr. T. Rinken

14. Environmental Chemistry • Gas transfer through gas-water interface and implications for sewage treatment • Anaerobic treatment of biological waste • Biogas • Taavo Tenno, Kristo Kärmas, Vallo Lemmiksoo, Prof. T. Tenno

15. Radiation detectors and luminescence materials • Theory, design and exploitation of radiation detectors and luminescent materials (Senior Researcher Dr. M.Danilkin)

16. Chemical synthesis Chemical Synthesis • Peptides and modified peptides (CPP-s) • Peptide-nucleoside conjugates (as ligands and inhibitors) • Hydrazine derivatives with different substituents (including chiral compounds) • Bioactive compounds, receptor ligands, PET tracer precursors • Prof. Jaak Järv, Assoc. Prof. U. Mäeorg • Superbasic phosphazenes (Dr. T. Rodima)

17. Peptide-nucleoside conjugates • Example of nucleside-peptide conjugate, containig PEG group and substituent R for providing enhanced specificity against its target site

18. Selective deprotection-substitution methods for substituted hydrazines

19. Chemical Synthesis • Selective DAT ligand, used for PET of dopaminergic brain regions (after labeling with 11CH3 - group)

20. Investigations in physical organic chemistry • Solvation effects in Grignard reactions (with implication for new chemical technologies) • Effect of ultrasound and the role of hydrophobic interactions in kinetics of chemical processes • Prof. A. Tuulmets

21. Bioorganic chemistry Bioorganic chemistry • Biochemistry of G protein-coupled receptor signal transduction complexes (muscarinic, dopaminergic, serotonergic, melanocortin). Generation and validation of MODELS and in vitroMETHODS for characterization of chemical and biological activity of ligands of these receptor systems. • Radioligand binding experiments. • Activation of second messenger systems. • Modelling of receptor activation systems. • Prof. A. Rinken, Prof. J. Järv

22. Bioorganic chemistry Pharmacology of melanocortin4 receptors: Introduction of new radioligand for MC4R: Pharmacological profile of ligands depends on the radioligand used: [125I]THIQ

23. Bioorganic chemistry Pharmacology of melanocortin4 receptors: Proposed complex ligand binding model of tandemly arranged binding sites of receptor dimer allows more correct estimation of ligand binding properties to MC4R.

24. Materials science and nanotechnology Materials science and nanotechnology • Synthesis of nanoporous carbon and solid oxide fuel cell cathodes and anodes and electrochemical applications (supercapacitors, medium temperature solid oxide fuel cells) • Thin inorganic, organic and hybrid films for novel applications. • Development of new preparation, characterization, and analysis methods for nanoscale materials and devices • Prof. E, Lust, prof. V. Sammelselg

25. Institute of Physical Chemistry Materials for supercapacitors AS Tartu Tehnoloogiad A. Jänes, M. Arulepp, J. Leis, M. Lätt, E. Lust

26. Institute of Physical Chemistry Materials for solid oxide fuel cells AS Elcogen G. Nurk, I. Kivi, P. Möller, E. Lust

27. Material science and nanotechnology Synthesis of metal oxide based nanofibers and other low dimentional materials. Investigation of sol-gel nano-jet physics and chemistry. Smooth surfaces. Sn-oxide nanofiber for SPM (about 20 nm) Sm3+doped TiO2 sol-gel fiber radiated by 355 nm laser The surface of mica treated with linearly polymerized APTMS solution in methanol (a) and the corresponding surface with immobilized DNA molecules (b) Hafniumoxide self-assembling microtubes

28. Physical and Electrochemistry Physical and electro-chemistry • Influence of the structure and chemical composition of electrode on the mechanism of heterogeneous charge transfer reactions (E. Lust, K. Tammeveski) • In situ STM characterisation of inorganic and organic ions and 2D-condensation (E. Lust) • Syntesis of electrically conducting polymers and physical and electrochemical characterisation (J. Tamm, V. Sammelselg)

29. In situ STM results for cut Bi(111) in 0.1M LiClO4+ 110-4M HClO4 solution Institute of Physical Chemistry S. Kallip, V. Grozovski, E. Lust

30. Institute of Physical Chemistry In situ STM results for cut Bi(111) in 0.1M LiClO4+ 110-4M HClO4 solution S. Kallip, V. Grozovski, E. Lust

31. International Collaboration, exchange of students • Over 100 Partners all around the World