Theodore Dibble 

Professor 
Environmental Chemistry 
421 Jahn Laboratory 
470-6596 
tsdibble@syr.edu

• Dibble Group Page
• Teaching
• Links of Interest to the Dibble Group
• Information on Graduate Admissions

Education

• Ph.D., 1992, University of Michigan
• Postdoctoral, 1992-1994, Wayne State University
• Postdoctoral, 1994-1995, Purdue University
• Postdoctoral, 1995-1996, California Institute of Technology 

Click to animate

Research

Theodore Dibble is interested in the chemistry of organic compounds important for energy and the environment. His research spans atmospheric chemistry, combustion chemistry of biofuels, and pollution control. The tools of the Dibble group range from standard analytical instrumentation to lasers and computational chemistry.

Atmospheric Chemistry

A new focus is peroxy radicals (ROO·) formed from biogenic compounds, especially isoprene. For a probe, we are turning to cavity ringdown spectroscopy of their electronic transitions in the near-IR. They may undergo a variety of reactions in relatively unpolluted areas where most isoprene is produced:

and these reactions affect production of oxidants and aerosols.

A recent focus has been those alkoxy and peroxy radicals containing intramolecular hydrogen bonds to their radicalcenters, because the hydrogen bonds can promote unusual chemistry, such as the double H-atom transfer. Click thumbnail of molecule above to view animation.

Pollution Control

We are beginning to investigate the degradation of organic compounds by non-thermal plasmas, particularly electron beams. The organic compounds of interest are ordinary pollutants or chemical warfare agents (we use safer analogues in our laboratory). Here we are asking basic questions about effectiveness and reaction mechanism, which will be answered by determining destruction rate and product yields versus beam power, flow rate, humidity, etc.

Students interested in doing research with Dr. Dibble are encouraged to contact him directly. 

Selected Publications (Complete Listing)

• Failures and limitations of quantum chemistry for two key problems in the atmospheric chemistry of peroxy radicals. T.S. Dibble. Atmos. Environ., 2008, 42, 5837-48.
• Computational Studies of Intramolecular Hydrogen Atom Transfers in the β-Hydroxyethylperoxy and β-Hydroxyethoxy Radicals. K.T. Kuwata, T.S. Dibble, E. Sliz, and E.B. Petersen. J. Phys. Chem. A, 2007, 111, 5032Ð42.
• Absorption cross-sections of CH-overtones of volatile organic compounds: 2 methyl-1,3-butadiene (isoprene), 1,3-butadiene, and 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, P. Cias, C. Wang, and T. S. Dibble, Appl. Spect., 2007, 61, 230-6.
• Laser-Induced Fluorescence Spectra of 4-Methylcyclohexoxy Radical and Perdeuterated Cyclohexoxy Radical and Direct Kinetic Studies of Their Reactions with O₂. L. Zhang, K. M. Callahan, D. Derbyshire, and T. S. DibbleJ. Phys. Chem. A, 2005, 109, 9232.
• Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding and Double H-Atom Transfer in Peroxy and Alkoxy Radicals from Isoprene, T.S. Dibble, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2004, 108,2199. [overview]

If you want more information about the graduate program, please follow this link to a brief form