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Francis Bonner
Francis T. Bonner
Professor Emeritus
Founding Chairman, 1958-70
B.S., 1942, University of Utah; M.S., 1944, Ph.D., 1945, Yale University; Carnegie Fellow, 1954-55; NSF Senior Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1964-65

Tel: (631) 632-7914
Email: fbonner@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
Publications


PHYSICAL AND INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

Our research over the years has been dedicated to the exploration and elucidation of inorganic reaction mechanisms, and the role of reactive intermediate species, particularly in the realm of nitrogen chemistry. The experimental methodologies employed in this work are those of chemical kinetics, isotopic labeling and exchange, and spectroscopy, including nitrogen-15 NMR. Our work has included numerous studies of the chemistry of nitric oxide (NO), e.g. detailed examination of the kinetics and mechanism of its reduction by iron(II), hydroxylamine and other reagents. We have demonstrated the appearance and properties of the reactive molecule HNO ("nitroxyl") and its conjugate anion NO- in a variety of aqueous solution settings, and in the course of these studies have demonstrated the occurrence of NO- in different electronic states, analogous to the isoelectronic case of singlet (excited) and triplet (ground) states of the dioxygen molecule.

Much of our work has borne important relation to understanding of the global nitrogen cycle. In addition, rapid discoveries since 1987 have shown that nitric oxide (NO), plays multiple, pervasive and important roles in mammalian physiology, e.g. in blood pressure regulation, neurotransmission, and the immune system (toxicity to invading organisms via enzyme inhibition). Nitroxyl has turned out to be a significant player in physiological function as well, and these discoveries have given our studies direct and particular relevance to biology and medicine.


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