Chair of Chemical Physics
Chemical physics is a sub-discipline of chemistry and physics that investigates physicochemical phenomena using techniques from atomic and molecular physics. The main branches of chemical physics are studies of electronic and molecular structure, spectral properties of chemical substances and dynamic behavior of chemical processes. The chair of chemical physics was created in University of Tartu at 1993 and first holder of that position was academician Endel Lippmaa. Peeter Burk has been holding this position since year 2003. Main activities of the chair of chemical physics have been connected with computational modeling of chemical processes and NMR spectroscopy of organic molecules (by Vahur Mäemets). Computational work was first directed towards studies of gas-phase ion-molecule reactions, later several new directions have emerged – studies of zeolites and metal-organic frameworks (Dr. Kaido Sillar), quantitative structure property/activity relationships (QSPR/QSAR) for predicting physical, chemical and biological properties of molecules Dr. (Kaido Tämm), studies of the reaction mechanisms of organic and organometallic reactions (Dr. Jaana Tammiku-Taul).Research Topics
- Computational modeling of gas-phase acid-base equilibria
- Studies of substituent effects of NMR 17O and 13C chemical shifts
- Theoretical studies of reaction mechanisms
- QSPR/QSAR predictions of chemical, physical and biological properties
- Gas-phase equilibria involving cesium cation
- Absorbtion properties of zeolites and metal-organic frameworks
- Novel B-N compounds for chemical hydrogen storage and hydrogen transfer reactions