Michael A. Brook
Professor

Industrial Courses (see also Consulting):

All courses are modular and can be tailored to audiences with different academic backgrounds or interests. Courses of various lengths can be arranged from one-half day to one half week (4 hours x 5 days) with mixtures of lectures and problem session/workshop depending on the audience and material to be covered. In all cases, the textbook for the course is: Brook, M. A. Silicon in Organic, Organometallic and Polymer Chemistry, Wiley: New York, 2000; course notes will be provided. For more information or a Table of Contents contact Dr. Brook.

The Fundamentals of Silicon Chemistry: New Approaches in Silicon Polymer Chemistry

This course consists of three parts: Mechanistic Silicon Chemistry, Reactions of Si-Heteroatom Bonds (X = H, O, etc., including silicones and silane reagents) and Si-C Bonds (including hydrosilation and silicon in organic synthesis).  Once an understanding of silicon reaction mechanisms is achieved, the wider chemistry of organosilanes and silicones will be explored.  One of the main objectives of the course is to consider how new ideas, from outside the silicone community, could be used to make silicones in new ways, to make novel silicones or to prepare new materials that contain silicon.  There will be several problem sessions in which "new materials" will be designed based on the concepts introduced in the course.  The intended audience for this course is the practicing research chemist with a higher level degree or considerable experience.

Problem Solving in Silicone Chemistry

This course follows a similar pattern to that of the "Fundamentals of Silicon Chemistry" course. However, the focus is on developing a better understanding of the reactions currently used in the silicone industry.  Problem sessions will focus on real and possible problems that customers have; the solutions will reinforce the understanding of silicon chemistry.  The course is ideally suited for those with B.Sc. degrees in science or the equivalent experience, and would be especially useful for technical service representatives.

Silicon in Organic Synthesis

Organosilanes have been extensively used in organic synthesis.  In this course, we first explore the properties of silicon that allow organosilanes to be exploited synthetically.  This involves an examination of the reaction mechanisms at silicon.  Second, the role of heteroatom functionalized silanes in synthesis is described, including the useful reactions of halosilanes (protecting groups), hydrosilanes (reducing agents), alkoxysilanes (silyl protecting groups), silyl enol ethers (aldol reactions), etc..  Finally, we focus on the use of silyl nucleophiles, such as vinyl-, aryl- and allylsilanes, in the selective formation of C-C bonds.  This course can be presented at a variety of levels.