Jason Keith

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Jason Keith

Associate Professor of Chemistry; Chair, Department of Chemistry

Department/Office Information

Chemistry
308 Wynn Hall
  • MW 3:00pm - 4:00pm (308 Wynn Hall)
  • T 1:00pm - 3:00pm (308 Wynn Hall)
  • R 1:30pm - 2:30pm (308 Wynn Hall)

Contact

(315) 228-7394

I was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1978 and moved to the small town of Weatherford, Texas with my parents and older brother when I was eight years old. I graduated from Weatherford High School in 1997. Upon graduation I went on to the University of North Texas where I pursued degrees in Chemistry and Mathematics. I graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2001. In the fall of that same year I began my graduate work at the California Institute of Technology and received my PhD in Chemistry in 2008. While there I was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. From 2008 to 2010 I was a postdoctoral fellow with Michael B. Hall in the Chemistry Department at Texas A&M University. In 2010 I moved to the mountains of northern New Mexico were I was a Director’s Postdoctoral Fellow in the Theoretical Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory until 2013. In the summer of 2013 I left the mountains that I had come to love and a life sharing a border with Mexico to move northeast to central New York and a new understanding of winter. 

I am currently an Associate Professor of Chemistry here at Colgate University having received tenure in Spring 2020. My research here is based on the application of Density Functional Theory to various projects involving electronic structure, spectroscopy and mechanism. My primary research efforts focus on transition metal systems although I have soft spot for f-block elements from my time at LANL and have also on occasion worked with main group and organic systems. While my research frequently focuses on fundamental concepts such as bonding, applied projects in my group are more commonplace and are often related to clean energy and the environment. I have publications in the areas of fuel cells, biofuels, nuclear energy, as well as environmental cleanup. I currently collaborate with many experimental chemists both here at Colgate and elsewhere.

Education

BS - Chemistry, BS - Mathematics, University of North Texas, 2001 

PhD - Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, 2008

Dissertation

Palladium Mediated Activation of Molecular Oxygen

Distinctions

2010 Los Alamos National Laboratory Director's Postdoctoral Fellowship

2001 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship

1999 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship

Science Media Coverage

Chemistry World: Exotic Interactions Uncovered in Actinide Systems

Colgate Highlights

Colgate News: Professor Jason Keith, co-authors’ report may eventually help cut nuclear wasteColgate News: Chemistry professor Jason Keith’s work published in prestigious journal

Publications

Google Scholar

(Colgate authors indicated in bold)

  • Spielvogel, K. D.; Stumme, N. C.; Fetrow, T. V.; Wang, L.; Luna, J. A.; Keith, J. M.*; Shaw, S. K.*; Daly, S. R.*;  “Quantifying Variations in Metal–Ligand Cooperative Binding Strength with Cyclic Voltammetry and Redox–Active Ligands” Inorg. Chem., 2022, 61, 2391.
  • Pham, J.; Jarczyk, C. E.; Reynolds, E. F.; Kelly, S. E.; Kim, T.; He, T.; Keith, J. M.*; Chianese, A. R.* “The Key Role of the Latent N-H Group in Milstein's Catalyst for Ester Hydrogenation” Chem. Sci., 2021, 12, 8477.
  • Spielvogel, K. D.; Luna, J. A.; Loria, S. M.; Weisburn, L. P.; Stumme, N. C.; Ringenberg, M. R.; Durgaprasad, G.; Keith, J. M.*; Shaw, S. K.*; Daly, S. R.*;  “Influence of Multisite Metal-Ligand Coopertivity on the Redox Activity of Noninnocent N2S2 Ligands” Inorg. Chem., 2020, 59, 10845.
  • Smiles, D. E.; Batista, E. R.*; Booth, C. H.; Clark, D. L.; Keith, J. M.; Kozimor, S. A.; Martin, R. L.; Minasian, S. G.*; Shuh, D. K.; Stieber, C. E.*; Tyliszczak, T. “Unexpected CNN-to-CC Ligand Rearrangement in Pincer-Ruthenium Precatalysts Leads to a Base-Free Catalyst for Ester Hyderogenation” Chem. Sci., 2020, 11, 2796.
  • He, T.; Buttner, J. C.; Reynolds, E. F.; Pham, J.; Malek, J. C.; Keith, J. M.*; Chianese, A. R.* “Dehydroalkylative Activation of CNN- and PNN-Pincer Ruthenium Catalysts for Ester Hydrogenation” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2019, 141, 17404.
  • Le, L.; Liu, J.; He, T.; Malek, J. C.; Cervarich, T. N.; Buttner, J. C.; Pham, J.; Keith, J. M.*; Chianese, A. R.* “Unexpected CNN-to-CC Ligand Rearrangement in Pincer-Ruthenium Precatalysts Leads to a Base-Free Catalyst for Ester Hyderogenation” Organometallics, 2019, 38, 3311.
  • Lee, K.; Blake, A. V.; Tanushi, A.; McCarthy, S. M.; Kim, D.; Loria, S. M.; Donahue, C. M.; Spielvolgel, K. D.; Keith, J. M.*; Daly, S. R.*; Radosevich, A. T.* “Validating the Biphilic Hypothesis of Nontrigonal P(III) Compounds” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 6993.
  • Su, J.; Batista, E. R.*; Boland, K. S.; Bone, S. E.; Bradley, J. A.; Cary, S. K.; Clark, D. L.*; Conradson, S. D.; Ditter, A. S.; Kaltsoyannis, N.; Keith, J. M.; Kerridge, A.; Kozimor, S. A.*; Löble, M. W.; Martin, R. L.; Minasian, S. G.; Mocko, V.; La Pierre, H. S.; Seidler, G. T.; Shuh, D. K.; Wilkerson, M. P.; Wolfsberg, L. E.; Yang, P.* “Energy-Degeneracy-Driven Covalency in Actinide Bonding” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2018, 140, 17977.
  • Reilly, S. D.; Su, J.; Keith, J. M.; Yang, P.; Batista, E. R.*; Gaunt, A. J.*; Harwood, L. M.*; Hudson, M. J.; Lewis, F. W.; Scott, B. L.; Sharrad, C. A.*; Whittaker, D. M. “Plutonium Coordination and Redox Chemistry with the CyMe4-BTPhen Polydentate N-donor Extractant Ligand” Chem. Commun., 2018, 54, 12582.
  • Lee, K.; Wei, H.; Blake, A. V.; Donahue, C. M.; Keith, J. M.*; Daly, S. R.* “Measurement of Diphosphine -Donor and -Acceptor Properties in d0 Titanium Complexes Using Ligand K-Edge XAS and TDDFT” Inorg. Chem., 2018, 57, 10277.
  • Blake, A. V.; Wei, H.; Lee, K.; Donahue, C. M.; Keith, J. M.*; Daly, S. R.* “Solution and Solid Ligand K-Edge XAS Studies of PdCl2 Diphosphine Complexes with Phenyl and Cyclohexyl Substituents” (Invited issue) Eur. J. Inorg. Chem., 2018, 21-22, 2267.
  • Blake, A. V.; Wei, H.; Donahue, C. M.; Lee, K.; Keith, J. M.*; Daly, S. R.* “Solid Energy Calibration Standards for P K-Edge XANES: Electronic Structure Analysis of PPh4Br” J. Synchrotron Rad., 2018, 25, 529.
  • Minasian, S. G.; Batista, E. R.; Booth, C. H.; Clark, D. L.; Keith, J. M.; Kozimor, S. A.; Lukens, W. W.; Martin, R. L.; Shuh, D. K.; Stieber, S. C. E.; Tylisczcak; Wen, X.-d. “Quantitative Evidence for Lanthanide-Oxigen Orbital Mixing in CeO2, PrO2 and TbO2” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2017, 139, 18052.
  • Keith, J. M.*; Ye, Y.; Wei, H.; Buck, M. R. "Mechanistic Examination of Aerobic Pt Oxidation: Insertion of Molecular Oxygen into Pt–H Bonds Through a Radical Chain Mechanism" Dalton Trans., 2016, 45, 11650.
  • Lee, K.; Wei, H.; Blake, A. V.; Donahue, C. M.; Kwon, H. Y.; Keith, J. M.*; Daly, S. R.* “Ligand K-Edge XAS, DFT and TDDFT Analysis of Pincer Linker Variations in Rh(I) PNP Complexes: Reactivity Insights From Electronic Structure” (Invited issue of Dalton Trans. Theme “2016 New Talent Americas”; Cover) Dalton Trans., 2016, 45, 9774.
  • Donahue, C. M.; McCollom, S. P.; Forrest, C. M.; Blake, A. V.; Bellott, B. J.; Keith, J. M.*; Daly, S. R.* “Impact of Coordination Geometry, Bite Angle, and Trans Influence on Metal–Ligand Covalency in Phenyl–Substituted Phosphine Complexes of Ni and Pd” Inorg. Chem., 2015, 54, 5646.  
  • Löble, M. W.; Keith, J. M.; Altman, A. B.; Stieber, C. E.; Batista, E. R.*; Boland, K. S.; Conradson, S. D.; Clark, D. L.; Pacheco, J. L.; Kozimor, S. A.*; Martin, R. L.*; Minasian, S. G.; Olson, A. C.; Scott, B. L.; Shuh, D. K.; Tyliszczak, T.; Wilkerson, M. P.; Zehnder, R. A. "Covalency in Lanthanides. An X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory Study of LnCl6x−(x = 3, 2)" J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2015, 137, 2056.
  • Olson, A. C.; Keith, J. M.; Batista, E. R.*; Boland, K. S.; Daly, S. R.; Kozimor, S. A.*; MacInnes, M. M.; Martin, R. L.*; Scott, B. L. “Using Solution– and Solid–State S K–edge X–ray Absorption Spectroscopy with Density Functional Theory to Evaluate M–S Bonding for MS42- (M = Cr, Mo, W) Dianions” Dalton Trans., 2014, 43, 17283. 
  • Kuppuswamy, S.; Powers, T. M.; Johnson, B. M.; Brozek, C. K.; Krogman, J. P.; Bezpalko, M. W.; Berben, L. A.; Keith, J. M.; Foxman, B. M.; Thomas, C. M.* “One-Electron Oxidation Chemistry and Subsequent Reactivity of Diiron Imido Complexes” Inorg. Chem., 2014, 53, 5429. 
  • Donahue, C. M.; Pacheco, J. S. L.; Keith, J. M.*; Daly, S. R.* “Sulfur K–edge X–ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory of Arsenic Dithiocarbamates” Dalton Trans., 2014, 43, 9189. 
  • Minasian, S. G.; Keith, J. M.; Batista, E. R.*; Boland, K. S.; Clark, D. L.; Kozimor, S. A.*; Martin, R. L.*; Shuh, D. K.; Tyliszczak, T. "New Evidence for 5f Covalency in Actinocenes Determined From Carbon K–edge XAS and Electronic Structure Theory" Chem. Sci., 2014, 5, 351.
  • Minasian, S. G.; Keith, J. M.; Batista, E. R.*; Boland, K. S.; Kozimor, S. A.*; Martin, R. L.*; Shuh, D. K.*; Tyliszczak T.; Vernon, L. J. "Carbon K–edge X–ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Time–Dependent Density Functional Theory Examination of Metal–Carbon Bonding in Metallocene Dichlorides" J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2013, 135, 14731.
  • Hayes, P. G.; Xu, Z.; Beddie, C.; Keith, J. M.; Hall, M. B.; Tilley, T. D. "The Osmium–Silicon Triple Bond: Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity of an Osmium Silylyne Complex" J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2013, 135, 11780.
  • Minasian, S. G.; Keith, J. M.; Batista, E. R.*; Boland, K. S.; Bradley, J. A.; Daly, S. R.; Kozimor, S. A.*; Lukens, W. W.; Martin, R. L.*; Nordlund, D.; Seidler, G. T.; Shuh, D. K.*; Sokaras, D.; Tyliszczak, T.; Wagner, G.; Weng, T.-C.; Yang, P. "Covalency in Metal–Oxo Multiple Bonds Evaluated Using Oxygen K–edge Spectroscopy and Electronic Structure Theory" J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2013, 135, 1864.
  • Daly, S. R.; Keith, J. M.; Batista, E. R.*; Boland, K. S.; Clark, D. L; Kozimor, S. A.*; Martin, R. L. “Sulfur K–edge X–ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory of Dithiophosphinate Extractants: Minor Actinide Selectivity and Electronic Structure Correlations” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2012, 134, 14408.
  • Keith, J. M.*; Teets, T. S.; Nocera, D. G. “O2 Insertion into Group 9 Metal–Hydride Bonds: Evidence for Oxygen Activation through the Hydrogen-Atom-Abstraction Mechanism” Inorg. Chem., 2012, 51, 9499.
  • Daly, S. R.; Keith, J. M.; Boland, K. S.; Batista, E. R.*; Kozimor, S. A.*; Martin, R. L.; Scott, B. L. “Probing Ni[S2PR2]2 Electronic Structure to Generate Insight Relevant to Minor Actinide Extraction Chemistry” Inorg. Chem., 2012, 51, 7551.
  • Minasian, S. G.; Keith, J. M.; Batista, E. R.*; Boland, K. S.; Clark, D. L.*; Conradson, S. D.*; Kozimor, S. A.*; Martin, R. L.*; Schwarz, D. E.; Scott, B. L.; Shuh, D. K.; Wagner, G. L.; Wilkerson, M. P.; Wolfsberg, L. E.; Yang, P. "Determining Relative f and d Orbital Contributions to M–Cl Covalency in MCl62– (M = Ti, Zr, Hf, U) and UOCl5– Using Cl K-Edge X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Time–Dependent Density Functional Theory" J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2012, 134, 5586.
  • Keith, J. M.; Batista, E. R.* “Theoretical Examination of Thermodynamic Factors in the Selective Extraction of Am3+ from Eu3+ by Dithiophosphinic Acids” Inorg. Chem., 2012, 51, 13.
  • Keith, J. M.; Goddard, W. A., III* “Chelating Base Effects in Palladium–Mediated Activation of Molecular Oxygen” Organometallics, 2012, 31, 545.
  • Keith, J. M.*; Meyerstein, D.; Hall, M. B.* “Computational Investigations into Hydrogen–Atom Abstraction from Rhodium Hydride Complexes by Methyl Radicals in Aqueous Solution” Eur. J.Inorg. Chem., 2011, 31, 4901.
  • Travia, N. E.; Xu, Z.; Keith, J. M.; Ison, E. A.; Fanwick, P. E.; Hall, M. B.*; Abu-Omar, M. M.* “Observation of Inductive Effects That Cause a Change in the Rate-Determining Step for the Conversion of Rhenium Azides to Imido Complexes” Inorg. Chem., 2011, 50, 10505.
  • Keith, J. M.*; Abu-Omar, M. M.; Hall, M. B.* “Computational Investigation of the Concerted Dismutation of Chlorite Ion by Water-Soluble Iron-Porphyrins” Inorg. Chem., 2011, 50, 7928.
  • Huang, S.-H.; Keith, J. M.; Hall, M. B.*; Richmond, M. G.* “Ortho Metalation Dynamics and Ligand Fluxionality in the Conversion of Os3(CO)10(dppm) to HOs3(CO)8[m–PhP(C6H4–m2,h1)CH2PPh2]: Experimental and DFT Evidence for the Participation of Agostic C–H and p–Aryl Intermediates at an Intact Triosmium Cluster” Organometallics, 2010, 29, 4041.
  • Keith, J. M.; Hall, M. B.* “Potential Hydrogen Bottleneck in Nickel–Iron Hydrogenase” Inorg. Chem., 2010, 49, 6378.
  • Keith, J. M.; Tomić Z. D; Zarić, S. D.; Hall, M. B.* “Oxygen Atom Transfer Catalysis: Ligand Effects on the Key Reaction Barrier in Molybdenum (VI) Dioxo Systems” J. Mol. Catal A: Chem. (Computational Catalysis Special Issue), 2010, 324, 15.
  • Keith, J. M.; Goddard, W. A., III* “Mechanism for Activation of Molecular Oxygen by cis- and trans-(Pyridine)2Pd(OAc)H: Pd0 vs. Direct Insertion” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131, 1416.
  • Keith, J. M.; Goddard, W. A., III*; Oxgaard J.* “Pd-Mediated Activation of Molecular Oxygen: Pd(0) versus Direct Insertion” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2007, 129, 10361.
  • Keith, J. M.; Muller, R. P.; Kemp, R. A.; Goldberg, K. I.; Goddard, W. A., III*; Oxgaard J.* “Mechanism of Direct Molecular Oxygen Insertion in a Palladium(II)–Hydride Bond” Inorg. Chem., 2006, 45, 9631.
  • Keith, J. M.; Nielsen, R. J.; Oxgaard J.; Goddard, W. A., III* “Pd–Mediated Activation of Molecular Oxygen in Nonpolar Medium” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2005, 127, 13172.
  • Nielsen, R. J.; Keith, J. M.; Stoltz. B. M.; Goddard, W. A., III* “A Computational Model Relating Structure and Reactivity in Enantioselective Oxidations of Secondary Alcohols by (–)–Sparteine–PdII Complexes” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2004, 126, 7967.
  • Marchand, A. P.*; Keith, J. M.; Alihodžić, S.; Ganguly, B.; Somers, A. W.; Hariprakasha, H. K.; Power, T. D.; Watson, W. H.; Bodige, S. G. “Stereoelectronic Control of Additions of Vinylmagnesium Bromide to 1–Methyl– and 3–Methylpentacyclo[5.4.0.02,6.03,10.05,9]undecane–8,11–diones and to 1–Methylhexacyclo[10.2.1.0.02,11.04,9.04,14.09,13]pentadeca–5,7–diene–3,10–dione” Struct. Chem., 2001, 12, 313.

2016-2017

Clare C. Bannon '17, Sydney M Loria '18, Markus Y. Miranda '19, Garrett W. Esper '18, Prof. Jason M. Keith
Clare C. Bannon ’17, Sydney M Loria ’18, Markus Y. Miranda ’19, Garrett W. Esper ’18, Prof. Jason M. Keith

2015-2016

Yixin (Eli) Ye '16, Haochuan Wei '16, Prof. Jason M. Keith, Fiona B. Evans '16, Shelby M. Holland '18
Yixin (Eli) Ye ’16, Haochuan Wei ’16, Prof. Jason M. Keith, Fiona B. Evans ’16, Shelby M. Holland ’18

2014-2015

Celia M. Sherry '15, Fiona B. Evans '16, Prof. Jason M. Keith, Greg Zengilowski '15, Daniel Kim '15, Haochuan Wei '16
Celia M. Sherry ’15, Fiona B. Evans ’16, Prof. Jason M. Keith, Greg Zengilowski ’15, Daniel Kim ’15, Haochuan Wei ’16

2013-2014

Andre V. D'Souza '17, Hyuk Yong Kwon '14, Prof. Jason M. Keith, Samuel P. McCollom '14, Daniel Kim '15
Andre V. D'Souza ’17, Hyuk Yong Kwon ’14, Prof. Jason M. Keith, Samuel P. McCollom ’14, Daniel Kim ’15

Current Group Members

  • Matthew Bousquet ’20
  • Leah Weisburn ’20
  • Peter Baker ’20

Former Group Members

Oliver Harris ’19

  • Magna Cum Laude
  • Honors in Chemistry
  • Summer '17 - Summer ’18
  • Current: Graduate School at Yale

Harrison Chen ’19

  • Summer '17 - Spring ’19

Markus Y. Miranda ’19

  • Summer '16 - Spring ’19

Victoria Bradley ’18

  • Fall ’17 - Spring ’18

Garrett W. Esper ’18

  • Magna Cum Laude
  • Honors in Biochemistry
  • Summer '16 - Spring ’18
  • Current: Medical School at SUNY Upstate

Sydney M. Loria ’18

  • Colgate Salutatorian
  • Summa Cum Laude
  • High Honors in Chemistry
  • Summer '16 - Spring ’18
  • Current: Medical School at University of Rochester

Shelby M. Holland ’18 

  • Spring ’15-Spring ’16

Samuel J. Kim ’17

  • Fall ’16 - Spring ’17

Clare C. Bannon ’17

  • Fall ’16 - Spring ’17

Khanh Nguyen ’17

  • Spring ’15-Summer ’15

Andre V. D'Souza ’17 

  • Spring ’14-Summer ’14

Fiona B. Evans ’16

  • Cum Laude
  • Summer ’14 - Spring ’16

Yixin (Eli) Ye ’16

  • Fall ’15 - Spring ’16

Haochuan Wei ’16

  • Summa Cum Laude
  • Summer ’14 - Spring ’16

Daniel Kim ’15

  • Magna Cum Laude
  • High Honors in Chemistry
  • Spring ’14 - Spring ’15
  • Current: Graduate School at Yale

Celia M. Sherry ’15

  • Magna Cum Laude
  • Summer ’14 - Spring ’15

Hyuk Yong Kwon ’14

  • Cum Laude
  • Honors in Chemistry
  • Fall ’13 - Spring ’14
  • Current: Graduate Student UNC

Samuel P. McCollom ’14

  • Magna Cum Laude
  • High Honors in Chemistry
  • Fall ’13 - Spring ’14
  • Current: Chemistry Graduate School at U Penn

Jason M. Keith obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry in June 2008 from Prof. William A. Goddard, III, Professor at Caltech (California Institute of Technology) in Pasadena, CA

William A. Goddard, III obtained his Ph.D. in Engineering Science in October 1964 from Prof. Pol Duwez, Professor at Caltech (California Institute of Technology) in Pasadena CA

Pol Duwez received his D.Sc. in 1933 from Prof. Emile Henriot at U. Brussels in Belgium

Emile Henriot received his D.Sc. in Physics in 1912 from Marie Curie, Professor at the Sorbonne, Paris France

Marie Curie received her D.Sc. in 1903 from Prof. Becquerel at the Ecole Phys. Chim. Ind, Paris France