Assoc. Prof. Andrew D. Jorgensen
Chemistry Department
2086F BO
University of Toledo


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Andrew D. Jorgensen
Associate Professor
Professional Background:
B.S. 1970, Quincy College;
Ph.D. 1976, University of Illinois at Chicago;
Visiting Assistant Professor 1976-77, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign;
Assistant Professor, 1977-81, Associate Professor 1981-85 University of Southern Indiana;
Visiting Researcher, 1983-84, Ecole Polytechnique (France);
Assistant Professor, 1985-88, Allegheny College;
Washington Fellow, Council of Scientific Society Presidents, 1994-95
Email: 
Office:		 andy.jorgensen@utoledo.edu
BO 2086F		   Phone: 
Fax:		 (419) 530-4579
(419) 530-4033
Research Synopsis:
Physical and Analytical Chemistry:
Chromatographic Modeling

Chromatographic methods are employed by many different types of scientists because the need for separation is so common. Equipment now available has the capability of resolving mixtures of great complexity. It is precisely because there are so many applications of chromatography and there exists so much technical capability that techniques must be developed to allow both the specialist and nonspecialist to efficiently use the instruments that are available and to properly interpret the results obtained.

If one can describe a phenomenon in a mathematically predictive manner, not only does this save time and effort, but it also provides a scientifically more satisfying situation than that achieved by brute force methods. One also hopes that the details of the model can be used to elucidate the specifics of the physical and chemical behavior.

Our primary modeling study has been for the flame-ionization detector in gas chromatography. This detector is very sensitive to a wide range of organic compounds. Although its quantitative response is linear over a broad range of concentrations, this respons varies markedly with compound structure. We are developing a semi-automatic technique that uses structural information about a particular compound in conjunction with the signal produced by a standard to accurately quantitate components in complex mixtures.

Computer Studies of Molecular Dynamics

In the past several years this field has been valuable in studying the molecular level specifics of chemical reactions. Reactions "performed" on the computer provide several advantages over more traditional laboratory work. These include the ability to orient approaching species in a desired fashion and to control the specifics of the energy picture before reactions.

We have been developing mathematical techniques to analyze some characteristics of the products that emerge from these reactions. The distribution contours in energy and geometry that are produced allow accurate comparisons between predictions that come from competing models or from related chemical systems. We have calculated a large data set for the H + H2 system and have produced accurate two-dimensional distributions of product parameters.