Lawrence R. Sita

Abstract

Angewandte Chemie International EditionVolume 55, Issue 47 p. 14500-14500 Author ProfileFree Access Lawrence R. Sita First published: 08 June 2016 https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201605082AboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Graphical Abstract “My motto is ‘There is no golden rule.’ I am waiting for the day when someone will discover instant coffee that tastes really really good ...” This and more about Lawrence R. Sita can be found on page 14500. Lawrence R. Sita The author presented on this page has recently published his 10th article in Angewandte Chemie in the last 10 years: “End-Group-Functionalized Poly(α-olefinates) as Non-Polar Building Blocks: Self-Assembly of Sugar–Polyolefin Hybrid Conjugates”: T. S. Thomas, W. Hwang, L. R. Sita, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 4683; Angew. Chem. 2016, 128, 4761. Date of birth: August 6, 1959 Position: Professor, University of Maryland E-mail: lsita@umd.edu Homepage: http://www.chem.umd.edu/lawrence-r-sita/ ORCID: 0000-0002-9880-1126 Education: 1981 BS, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh 1986 PhD with Professor Satoru Masamune, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 1986 Postdoctoral associate with Professor Richard R. Schrock, MIT Awards: 1995 Beckman Young Investigator Award; 1995 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award; 2004 NSF Special Creativity Award Current research interests: Inorganic and organometallic chemistry; polymer and material science; catalysis and new synthetic methods; self-assembly and nanofabrication Hobbies: Scuba diving, 3D modeling/printing, architecture My motto is “There is no golden rule.” I am waiting for the day when someone will discover instant coffee that tastes really really good. Chemistry is fun because we can still dream the seemingly impossible—and then make amazing discoveries while trying to achieve these goals. Looking back over my career, I am thankful for all my co-workers and their willingness to bring many oftentimes crazy ideas to fruition. The most significant historic event of the past 100 years was Edwin Hubble showing us that the universe is a lot bigger than we thought. In a spare hour, I plan for tomorrow, the next week, the next year, the next 10 years … My biggest inspiration is my wife and children. My favorite time of day is the break of dawn. My favorite way to spend a holiday is taking a very long and unscripted road trip. The secret of being a successful scientist is not giving up on any of your passions. In the future I see myself writing a memoir and science-fiction novels. My favorite author (science) is Stephen Jay Gould. The greatest scientific advance of the last decade was development of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. My 5 top papers: References 1“2,2,4,4,5,5-Hexakis(2,6-diethylphenyl)pentastanna[1.1.1]propellane: Characterization and Molecular Structure”: L. R. Sita, R. D. Bickerstaff, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1989, 111, 6454. (The title molecule remains at the heart of questions regarding classical versus nonclassical bonding within main-group element frameworks.) 2“Tuning the Work Function of Gold with Self-Assembled Monolayers Derived from X−[C6H4−C≡C−]nC6H4−SH (n=0, 1, 2; X=H, F, CH3, CF3, and OCH3)”: R. W. Zehner, B. F. Parsons, R. P. Hsung, L. R. Sita, Langmuir 1999, 15, 1121. (Experimentally validated the concept of using SAMs to systematically modulate the energy barriers for electron and hole transport across interfaces.) 3“Stereospecific Living Ziegler–Natta Polymerization of 1-Hexene”: K. C. Jayaratne, L. R. Sita, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 958. (A highly versatile platform for the living coordination polymerization of α-olefins.) 4“Highly Efficient, Living Coordinative Chain-Transfer Polymerization of Propene with ZnEt2: Practical Production of Ultrahigh to Very Low Molecular Weight Amorphous Atactic Polypropenes of Extremely Narrow Polydispersity”: W. Zhang, L. R. Sita, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 442. (Presented the foundation for the large scale production of ‘precision’ polyolefins through living coordination polymerization of α-olefins.) 5“Metal-Mediated Production of Isocyanates, R3EN=C=O from Dinitrogen, Carbon Dioxide, and R3ECl”: A. J. Keane, W. S. Farrell, B. L. Yonke, P. Y. Zavalij, L. R. Sita, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 10220; Angew. Chem. 2015, 127, 10358. (A complete chemical cycle for dinitrogen fixation.) Volume55, Issue47November 14, 2016Pages 14500-14500 ReferencesRelatedInformation