United States Air Force Academy

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Dr. Todd Davis

Professor of Chemistry

Department of Chemistry

Official photo of Todd Davis.
Contact Information

(719) 333-6001

Email

Bio

Dr. Todd Davis is an Associate professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry at the U.S. Air Force Academy. His research interests are in the fields of organic synthesis, molecular recognition, and chemical education.

Education

Ph.D., Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

B.S., Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Mich.

Professional Experience

Full Professor of Chemistry, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (2022-present)

Associate Professor of Chemistry, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (2017-2022)

Visiting Scientist Institut Catala d’Investigacio Quimica, Tarragona, Spain (2018)

Assistant Professor, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (2014-2017)

Associate Professor, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho (2012-2014)

Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho (2007-2012)

Post-Doctoral Fellow, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee (2004-2007)

Honors & Awards

Outstanding Academy Educator, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. (2018)

Distinguished Alumni-in-Residence, College of Arts & Letters, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Mich. (2009)

Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, Tenn. (2009)

Research and Scholarly Interests

Project #1: Developing Lewis base-catalyzed organosilane additions to halogenated carbonyls.

Project #2: New methodologies for the selective cleavage of carbon-fluorine bonds.

Publications

Thiourea-Catalyzed Amidation of Esters: A New Method for thePreparation of Amides” Garza, A.; Miller, R.; Gardner, S.; Fuhrer, T.; Campbell, A.; Davis, T. Lett. Org. Chem. 2023, 20, 2-10.

“Enhancing leaving group Ability of Alkyl Fluorides: I/F exchange Reactions Mediated by LiI” Zerban, J .J; Bagnall, B; Davis, T. A. Tetrahedron Lett, 2022, 91, 153639.

“Laboratory-Based Modules in an Organic Chemistry Classroom” Knoerzer, T. A.; Davis, T. A. World Journal of Chemical Education, 2022, 2, 65-75.

“Addition of Thiourea Host Monomer to Polymer Flocculants to Improve Selectivity of Phosphate Sorption” Goebel, T.; McInnes, K.; Senseman, S.; Lascano, R.; Cullen, A.; Fuhrer, T.; Pickle, S.; Adelokun, N.; Davis, T. J. Agric. Chem. Environ. 2020, 9, 147-158.

“Comparative Analysis of Fuel Composition and Physical Properties of Biodiesel, Diesel, and Jet Fuel” Knoerzer, T.; Hill; E., Davis, T.; Iacono, S.; Johnson, J.; Balaich, G. J. Chem. Ed. 2018, 95, 1821-1826,

“Lewis-Base Catalyzed Trialkylsilylcyanide Additions to 2-Fluoroketones: Nucleophile Directed Access to both Cis- and Trans- Stereoisomers” Brawley, K. K.; Davis, T. A. Tetrahedron Lett. 2016, 57, 2161-2164.

“Evaluation of several Commercially Available Cationic Polymer Flocculants for Phosphate Sorption in Water” Goebel, T. S.; Lascano, R. J.; Davis, T. A. J. Agric. Chem. Environ. 2016, 5, 45-51.

“Solvent-Assisted Diastereoselective TMSCN Additions to Cyclic α-Fluoroketones” Pham, H.; Davis T. A. Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2013, 3896-3900.

“Interrelating Conjugation, Aromaticity, and the Acid-Base Chemistry of Aromatics via a Computational Question-Driven Exercise, Bryant, P.; Davis, T. A.; Holman, R. W. The Chemical Educator, 2013, 18, 33-35.

“Designing Polymer Flocculants for the Removal of Inorganic Phosphate from Water” Goebel, T.S.; McInnes, K.; Lascano, J. P.; Marchand, L. S.; Davis, T. A. Tetrahedron Lett. 2011, 52, 5241-5244.

“Highly Efficient Diastereoselective Reduction of α-Fluoroimines” Malamakal, R. M.; Hess, W. R.; Davis, T. A. Org. Lett. 2010, 12, 2186-2189.