Pavel Anzenbacher

Pavel Anzenbacher, Jr., Ph.D.

Professor
411 Physical Sciences Laboratory Building
419.372.2080
pavel@bgsu.edu 
Group website

Biographical Facts

Joined the faculty in 2000
Ph.D., Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague (1997)
M.S., Charles University at Prague (1992)  

Research Interests:

The research in the Anzenbacher research group is focused on exploring the processes associated with how molecules and ions interact and bind to each other. We also work on the synthesis of smart molecules and materials that change their optical properties (fluorescence and/or color) or their physical properties such as conductivity in the presence of other molecules, ions, gasses, etc.

We use the tools of organic synthesis and physical organic chemistry to prepare molecules and materials that allow us to investigate how molecules form complexes, assemblies, or aggregates. This field of science is called Supramolecular Chemistry, often referred to as the “chemistry beyond the molecule”. This means that we make molecules and materials, and then we look further (beyond) into what the molecules do.

This knowledge is important for biochemistry and biology, for example for design of drugs, for analytical chemistry to develop analytical tests, assays, and bioassays, and for the development of functional materials for application in photonics, including materials for luminescence-based sensors, Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs), and Organic Thin-Film Transistor (OTFT) sensors.

In essence, our research is very multi-disciplinary and involves organic chemistry and synthesis, theoretical methods of molecular design, optical spectroscopy and NMR, high-throughput screening (HTS) methods, polymer chemistry, and others.

Selected Publications:

Radujevic, A.; Penavic, A.; Pavlovic, R. Z.; Badjic, J. D.; Anzenbacher Jr, P.: Cross-Reactive Binding Versus Selective Phosphate Sensing in an Imine Macrocycle Sensor. Chem 2022, 8, 2228-2244. DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2022.05.010.

Dey, K.; Chowdhury, S. R.; Dykstra, E.; Lu, H. P.; Shinar, R.; Shinar, J; Anzenbacher Jr., P.: Effect of Bis-diazirine-Mediated Photo-Crosslinking on Polyvinylcarbazole and Solution-Processed Polymer LEDs. ACS Appl. Electron. Mater. 2021, 3, 3365-3371. DOI: 10.1021/acsaelm.1c00354.

Shcherbakova, E. G.; Minami, T.; Brega, V.; James, T. D.; Anzenbacher, Jr., P. Determination of Enantiomeric Excess in Amine Derivatives with Molecular Self-Assemblies. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 7130-7133. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201501736.

Shcherbakova, E. G.; Zhang, B.; Gozem, S.; Minami, T.; Zavalij, P. Y.; Pushina, M.; Isaacs, L. D.; Anzenbacher Jr., P. Supramolecular Sensors for Opiates and Their Metabolites. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 14954-14960. DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b06371.

Anzenbacher Jr., P.; Li, F.; Palacios, M., Toward Wearable Sensors: Fluorescent Attoreactor Mats as Optically Encoded Cross-Reactive Sensor Arrays. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2012, 51, 2345-2348. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201105629

Anzenbacher Jr, P.; Palacios, M. A., Polymer nanofibre junctions of attolitre volume serve as zeptomole-scale chemical reactors. Nature Chem. 2009, 1, 80-86. DOI: 10.1038/nchem.125.