Robert G. Iafe, Ph.D.

Education

Teaching/Postdoctoral Scholar, 2011–2014, W.M. Keck Science Department at the Claremont Colleges, Claremont, CA

Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, 2011, University of California, Los Angeles, CA

M.S., Computational Chemistry, 2008, University of California, Los Angeles, CA

B.S., Chemistry, 2004, Cum Laude, Honors, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA

Research

Group News

• November 6, 2018. Omar Apolinar, Mercedes Nguygen, Jessica Scott, and Rian Shabo presented posters at the CSUSM CUGR Student Poster Showcase.
• November 5, 2018. Congratulations to Omar Apolinar for being selected as a 2019 Glenn Nagel Undergraduate Research Award Finalist. James will compete for this prestigious award at the 31st Annual CSU Biotechnology Symposium in January 2019, in Anaheim.
• August 10, 2018. Omar Apolinar presented at poster at the Summer Research Poster Symposium at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA.
• August 9, 2018. Congratulations to Rian Shabo for winning $1,000 Travel Award from the Summer Scholars Poster Showcase.
• August 9, 2018. Mercedes Nguyen and Rian Shabo presented a poster at the CSM Summer Scholars Poster Showcase at CSUSM.
• August 9, 2018. Amanda Smolin gave an oral presentation at the 2018 Brown Bag Research Talks for the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry.
• August 2, 2018. Mercedes Nguyen, Jacqueline Perez, and Jessica Scott gave an oral presentation at the 2018 Brown Bag Research Talks for the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry.
• July 27, 2018. Rian Shabo presented a poster at the SoCal Undergraduate Research Symposium at UC Irvine.
• July 26, 2018. Victor Franco Bolanos and Rian Shabo gave an oral presentation at the 2018 Brown Bag Research Talks for the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry.
• June 2018. Congratulations to Mercedes Nguyen and Rian Shabo for receiving the 2018 Viasat Summer Scholars Award.
• May 18, 2018. Omar Apolinar presented a poster at the 21st Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium at UW Seattle.
• May 9, 2018. Congratulations to James Oakley for winning the ACS Outstanding Student in Organic Chemistry Award, Mari A. Smith Outstanding Student in Physical Chemistry Award, ACS Outstanding Student in Inorganic Chemistry Award, and Dept. of Chemistry & Biochemistry Outstanding Senior in Chemistry Award. 
• May 9, 2018. Sam Acosta, Natalie Adamson, Sharai Mendez, James Oakley, Helen Sedrak, Tyler Stanley, and Jenny Veyna presented Chem 499 posters at the CSUSM Chemistry & Biochemistry Student Research Showcase.
• May 2, 2018. Jenny Veyna was featured on CSUSM News Center.
• April 2, 2018. James Oakley received the 2018 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Fellowship. Congratulations James!
• March 18-22, 2018. James Oakley presented a poster at the 255th American Chemical Society National Meeting in New Orleans, LA.
• March 2, 2018. Omar Apolinar gave an oral presentation at the 2018 Symposium on Student Research, Creative Activities, & Innovation.
• February 27, 2018. Omar Apolinar got accepted to the 2018 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURF) Program. He will be doing research with the Engle Lab at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA. Congratulations, Omar!
• February 9, 2018.  James Oakley was featured on CSUSM News Center.
• January 11–13, 2018. James Oakley, Sharai Mendez, and Omar Apolinar presented posters at the 30th Annual CSU Biotechnology Symposium in Santa Clara.
• November 14, 2017. James Oakley presented a poster at the CSUSM CUGR Student Poster Showcase.
• November 6, 2017. Congratulations to James Oakley for being selected as a 2018 Glenn Nagel Undergraduate Research Award Finalist. James competed for this prestigious award at the 30th Annual CSU Biotechnology Symposium in January 2018, in Santa Clara.
• October 2017. Congratulations to Iliana Levesque on being chosen to attend the M|CORE (Michigan-Chemistry Opportunities for Research & Education) Graduate Program Preview Weekend!
• September 28, 2017. Iliana Levesque gave an oral presentation at the Frontiers in Science Seminar Series at CSUSM.
• August 10, 2017. Tyler Stanley gave an oral presentation at the 2017 Brown Bag Research Talks for the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry.
• August 9, 2017. Iliana Levesque won a poster award for her presentation at the Summer Scholars Research Poster Showcase at CSUSM.
• August 3, 2017. Jasimine Terrell and Iliana Levesque gave an oral presentation at the 2017 Brown Bag Research Talks for the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry.
• July 27, 2017. James Oakley and Omar Apolinar gave an oral presentation at the 2017 Brown Bag Research Talks for the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry.
• July 21, 2017. James Oakley presented a poster at the 2017 SoCal Undergraduate Research Symposium in Chemistry at UCI.
• June 29, 2017. James Oakley presented a poster at the 2017 National Organic Symposium at UC Davis.
• June 12, 2017. Congratulations to James Oakley for receiving a $500 travel grant to the 2017 National Organic Symposium. 
• June 2017. Congratulations to Iliana Levesque for receiving the 2017 Viasat Summer Scholars Award.
• May 23, 2017.  Dr. Iafe was featured on CSUSM News Center.
• May 10, 2017. Congratulations to Cristofer Thompson for winning the CSUSM Dept. of Chemistry & Biochemistry Outstanding Student in Undergraduate Research Award.
• May 10, 2017. Cristofer Thompson presented his Chem 499 poster at the CSUSM Chemistry & Biochemistry Student Research Showcase.
• May 3, 2017. High school student Parker Loux gave his oral Presentation of Learning for the Internship Program at Del Lago Academy.
• May 2, 2017. Congratulations to Omar Apolinar for getting the 2017 Spring Presidents' Commission Scholars Award.
• April 28, 2017. James Oakley gave an oral presentation at the 2017 CSU Symposium on Student Research, Creative Activities, & Innovationat California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
• April 18, 2017. Gloria Diaz represented the San Diego Foundation and CSUSM STEM Summer Scholars program in an interview with Whitney Southwhick from NBC7.
• April 3, 2017. Lina Ahlberg, James Oakley, and Cris Thompson presented posters at the 253rd American Chemical Society National Meeting in San Francisco.
• February 24, 2017. Congratulations to James Oakley for being chosen as a FINALIST at the 2017 Symposium on Student Research, Creative Activities, & Innovation.
• February 2017. Congratulations to Gloria Diaz for getting accepted to the chemistry PhD program at the University of Michigan!!
• January 23, 2017. Gloria Diaz was highlighted in the Science & Technology Spotlight Series blog at sdfoundation.org.
• January 5–7, 2017. Cristofer Thompson, Lina Ahlberg, Tyler Stanley, James Oakley, and Sam Acosta presented posters at the 29th Annual CSU Biotechnology Symposium in Santa Clara.
• November 29, 2016. Lina Ahlberg and James Oakley presented posters at the CSUSM CUGR Student Poster Showcase.
• October 2016. Congratulations to Gloria Diaz on being chosen to attend the M|CORE (Michigan-Chemistry Opportunities for Research & Education) Graduate Program Preview Weekend!
• August 10, 2016. Sam Acosta, James Oakley, and Cristofer Thompson presented at the 2016 Summer Scholars Research Poster Showcase.
• June 2016. Congratulations to Cristofer Thompson for receiving the 2016 Genentech Summer Scholars Award. 
• June 2016. Congratulations to Sam Acosta and James Oakley for receiving the 2016 Viasat Summer Scholars Award.
• May 13, 2016. Congratulations to Gloria Diaz for winning the CSUSM Chemistry and Biochemistry Outstanding Faculty Student Collaboration Award.
• May 11, 2016. Elie Ghasb, Jessica Maynard, Jackie Robinos, Melisa Dean, Gloria Diaz, Lina Ahlberg, and Brittney Klasic presented posters at the CSUSM Chemistry & Biochemistry Student Research Showcase. 
• May 11, 2016. Congratulations to Lina Ahlberg for winning the Mari A. Smith Outstanding Student in Physical Chemistry Award.
• May 11, 2016. Congratulations to Jessica Maynard for winning the ACS Outstanding Student in Organic Chemistry Award.
• April 29, 2016. Gloria Diaz gave an oral presentation at the 2016 CSU Symposium on Student Research, Creative Activities, & Innovation  at CSU Bakersfield.
• April 23, 2016. Lina Ahlberg and Gloria Diaz presented a poster at the Southern California Undergraduate Research Conference (SCURC) at CSU Long Beach.
• April 6, 2016. Gloria Diaz presented a poster at the 75th San Diego ACS Anniversary Symposium at SDSU.
• March 13, 2016. Gloria Diaz and Brittney Klasic presented posters at the 251st American Chemical Society National Meeting in San Diego.
• February 26, 2016. Congratulations to Gloria Diaz for being chosen as a FINALIST at the 2016 Symposium on Student Research, Creative Activities, & Innovation.
• January 8, 2016. Gloria Diaz and Brittney Klasic presented posters at the 28th Annual CSU Biotechnology Symposium in Anaheim (January 7–9, 2016).
• June 2015. Congratulations to Melisa Dean, Gloria Diaz, Brittney Klasic, and Jessica Maynard for receiving the 2015 Summer Scholars Award.

Peer Reviewed Articles 

(* denotes undergraduate student)

1. Karabiyikoglu, S.; Iafe, R. G.; Merlic, C. A. "Ring-Closing Metathesis with Vicinal Dibromoalkenes as Protected Alkynes: A Synthetic Approach to Macrocyclic Enynes." Org. Lett. 2015, 7, 5248–5251.
2. *Vinson, A. R. S.; *Davis, V. K.; *Arunasalam, A.; *Jesse, K. A.; *Hamilton, R. E.; *Shattuck, M. A.; *Hu, A. C.; Iafe, R. G.; Wenzel, A. G. "Gold-Catalyzed, SN1-Type Reaction of Alcohols to Ethers and Cbz-Protected Amines." Synlett 2015, 26, 765–770.
3. Iafe, R. G.; *Kuo, J. L.; Hochstatter, D. G.; *Saga, T.; *Turner, J. W.; Merlic, C. A. "Increasing the Efficiency of the Transannular Diels-Alder Strategy via Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Macrocyclizations." Org. Lett. 2013, 15, 582–585.
4. Iafe, R. G.; Chan, D. G.; *Kuo, J. L.; Boon, B. A.; *Faizi, D. J.; Saga, T.; *Turner, J. W.; Merlic, C. A. "Cyclization Strategies to Polyenes Using Pd(II)-Catalyzed Couplings of Pinacol Vinylboronates." Org. Lett. 2012, 14, 4282–4285.
5. Gutierrez, O.; Iafe, R. G.; Houk, K. N. "Origin of Stereoselectivity in the Imidazolidinone-Catalyzed Reductions of Cyclic α,β-Unsaturated Ketones." Org. Lett. 2009, 11, 4298–4301. [link]
6. Ess, D. H.; Wheeler, S. E.; Iafe, R. G.; Xu, L.; Celebi-Olcum, N.; Houk, K. N. "Bifurcations on Potential Energy Surfaces of Organic Reactions." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 7592–7601.
7. Iafe, R. G.; Houk, K. N. "Intramolecular Hetero-Diels-Alder Reactions of Imine and Iminium Dienophiles: Quantum Mechanical Exploration of Mechanisms and Stereoselectivities." J. Org. Chem. 2008, 73, 2679–2686.
8. Iafe, R. G.; Houk, K. N. "Stereoselectivity Control by Torsional Steering in an Intramolecular Diels-Alder Reaction of Vinyl Oxocarbenium Ions." Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 3469–3472.

Conference/National Meeting Presentations 

(* denotes undergraduate student)

1. *Oakley, J. V.; *Mendez, S.; *Stanley, T.; Cain, S.; Iafe, R. G. (2018, January) Gold(I)-Catalyzed Friedel–Crafts-like Arylation of Benzylic Alcohols to Afford 1,1-Diarylmethanes. Poster presented at the 30th CSU Annual Biotechnology Symposium, Santa Clara, CA.
2. *Apolinar, O.; *Adamson, N.; *Ahlberg, L.; *Thompson, C.; *Diaz, G.; *Dean, M.; *Klasic, B.; *Maynard, J.; *Ghasb, E.; Iafe, R. G. (2018, January) Chiral Bisphosphorylimides as Organocatalysts for Friedel–Crafts Reactions. Poster presented at the 30th CSU Annual Biotechnology Symposium, Santa Clara, CA.
3. *Oakley, J. V.; *Stanley, T.; Iafe, R. G. (2017, June) Gold(I)-Catalyzed Friedel–Crafts-like Arylation of Benzylic Alcohols to Afford 1,1-Diarylmethanes. Poster presented at the 45th National Organic Chemistry Symposium, Davis, CA.
4. *Oakley, J. V.; *Stanley, T.; Iafe, R. G. (2017, April) Gold(I)-Catalyzed Friedel–Crafts-like Arylation of Benzylic Alcohols to Afford 1,1-Diarylmethanes. Poster presented at the 253^rd ACS National Meeting & Exposition, San Francisco, CA.
5. *Ahlberg, L.; *Thompson, C.; *Diaz, G.; *Klasic, B.; Iafe, R. G. (2017, April) Chiral Bisphosphorylimides as Organocatalysts for Friedel–Crafts Reactions. Poster presented at the 253^rd ACS National Meeting & Exposition, San Francisco, CA.
6. *Oakley, J. V.; *Stanley, T.; Iafe, R. G. (2017, January) Gold(I)-Catalyzed Friedel–Crafts-like Arylation of Benzylic Alcohols to Afford 1,1-Diarylmethanes. Poster presented at the 29^th CSU Annual Biotechnology Symposium, Santa Clara, CA.
7. *Ahlberg, L.; *Thompson, C.; *Dean, M.; *Diaz, G.; *Ghasb, E.; *Klasic, B.; *Maynard, J.; *Robinos, J.; Abrous, L.; Iafe, R. G. (2017, January) Chiral Bisphosphorylimides as Organocatalysts for Friedel–Crafts Reactions. Poster presented at the 29^th CSU Annual Biotechnology Symposium, Santa Clara, CA.
8. *Acosta, S.; *Ghasb, E.; Iafe, R. G. (2017, January) The Microwave Assisted, Gold(I)-Catalyzed Ritter Reaction. Poster presented at the 29^th CSU Annual Biotechnology Symposium, Santa Clara, CA.
9. *Ahlberg, L.; *Dean, M.; *Diaz, G.; *Ghasb, E.; *Klasic, B.; *Maynard, J.; *Robinos, J.; Abrous, L.; Iafe, R. G. (2016, April) Bisphosphorylimides as Organocatalysts for Asymmetric Friedel-Crafts Reactions. Poster presented at the 75^th San Diego ACS Anniversary Symposium, San Diego, CA.
10. *Ahlberg, L.; *Dean, M.; *Diaz, G.; *Ghasb, E.; *Klasic, B.; *Maynard, J.; *Robinos, J.; Abrous, L.; Iafe, R. G. (2016, March) Bisphosphorylimides as Organocatalysts for Asymmetric Friedel-Crafts Reactions. Poster presented at the 251^st ACS National Meeting & Exposition, San Diego, CA.
11. *Ahlberg, L.; *Dean, M.; *Diaz, G.; *Ghasb, E.; *Klasic, B.; *Maynard, J.; *Robinos, J.; Abrous, L.; Iafe, R. G. (2016, January) Bisphosphorylimides as Organocatalysts for Asymmetric Friedel-Crafts Reactions. Poster presented at the 28^th CSU Annual Biotechnology Symposium, Anaheim, CA.
12. *Tran, N.; *Mesa, K.; *Wall, J.; Iafe, R. G.; Wenzel, A. G. (2014, March). Chiral Thiophosphoramides as Ligands for Gold(I) Catalysis. Poster presented at the 247^th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, Dallas, TX.
13. *Davis, V. K.; *Arunasalam, A.; *Vinson, A.; Iafe, R. G.; Wenzel, A. G. (2014, March). Gold(I)-Catalyzed, S_N1 Etherification of Alcohols. Poster presented at the 247^th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, Dallas, TX.
14. *Panzer, Z. R.; Iafe, R. G.; Wenzel, A. G. (2014, March). Diastereoselective, Bronsted Acid-Catalyzed, Aza-Friedel Crafts-like Reaction Between Aryl Compounds and Imines. Poster presented at the 247^th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, Dallas, TX.
15. *Panzer, Z. R.; Iafe, R. G.; Wenzel, A. G. (2013, April). Betti Bases for Application in Green Organocatalysis. Poster presented at the 245^th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, New Orleans, LA.
16. *Kuo, J. L.; Iafe, R. G.; Merlic, C. A. (2012, March). Palladium(II) Catalyzed Intramolecular Insertions for Polycyclic Ring Synthesis. Poster presented at the 243^rd ACS National Meeting & Exposition, San Diego, CA.
17. Iafe, R. G.; Merlic, C. A. (2011, March). Strategies for Palladium(II) Catalyzed Cyclization Reactions. Poster presented at the 241^st ACS National Meeting & Exposition, Anaheim, CA.
18. Iafe, R. G.; Houk, K. N. (2007, March). Density Functional Theory Study of C-H Activation of Arenes and Alkanes with Cp*RhPMe₃. Poster presented at the 233^rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL.

Grants

1. 2018: Jean Dreyfus Lectureship for Undergraduate Institutions. $18,500.
2. 2018: OGSR GPSM. $3,000.
3. 2017: CSUPERB PCS. $8,000. 
4. 2015. OGSR GPSM. $3,000.
5. 2015. CSUPERB NI. $15,000.

Courses

• CHEM 200: Bridge to Organic Chemistry
• CHEM 201: Organic Chemistry I
• CHEM 201L: Organic Chemistry I Lab
• CHEM 202: Organic Chemsitry II
• CHEM 202L: Organic Chemistry II Lab
• Chem 399A/B: Special Problems in Chemistry - Laboratory
• CHEM 499: Senior Laboratory Thesis and Seminar
• CHEM 502: Advanced Organic Synthesis

*To enroll in Chem 399/Chem 499, you must go through the Department's application process.

Vitae

Assistant Professor, 2014–Present, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, California State University San Marcos

Visiting Assistant Professor, 2011–2014, W.M. Keck Science Department at the Claremont Colleges

Lecturer, 2011, UCLA Extension

Professional Societies:

• American Chemical Society, member
• Royal Society of Chemistry, member
• Sigma Xi, full member
• Alpha Sigma Nu, member

Awards:

• 2018, Kerri Mowen Excellence in Faculty Mentoring Award, CSUSM, CA
• 2017, Cougars Affordable Learning Materials (CALM) Program, Spring 2017 Award (w/ JT & EG), CSUSM, CA
• 2016, CSM Award for Outstanding Faculty Student Collaboration (w/ Gloria Diaz, University of Michigan), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, CSUSM, CA
• 2011, Hanson-Dow Teaching Assistant Award, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, CA

Outreach

Iafe Lab

Visiting Scholars:

 

Group Photo:

Iafe Lab Alumni:

• Sam Acosta [Summer Scholar], 2018.  Process Development Chemist – Hologic, Inc.
• Natalie Adamson, 2018.  SVM Chemist – Versum Materials.
• Lina Ahlberg, 2017.  Manufacturing Associate II – Illumina.
  • Mari A. Smith Outstanding Student in Physical Chemistry
• Amanda Bookout, 2018. Pharmacy PhD graduate student – UCSD Skaggs School of Pharmacy.
• Stephanie Cain, 2017. Medical School – University of Missouri.
• Melisa Dean [Summer Scholar], 2016.  Analytical Chemist – Versum Materials.
• Gloria Diaz [Summer Scholar], 2016.  Graduate student – University of Michigan.
  • CSUSM Dept. of Chemistry & Biochemistry Outstanding Faculty Student Collaboration Award
• Elie Ghasb, 2016.  Medical school – University of California Riverside.
• Brittney Klasic [Summer Scholar], 2016.  Pharmacy Technician – Scripps Health.
• Iliana Levesque [Summer Scholar], 2017.  Production Chemist I – Abbot
• Jessica Maynard [Summer Scholar], 2016.  Graduate student – Univeristy of California San Diego.
  • ACS Outstanding Student in Organic Chemistry
• Sharai Mendez, 2018.  Graduate Student – SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program
• James Oakley [Summer Scholar], 2018.  Graduate Student – Princeton University.
  • National Science Foundation Graduate Student Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP)
  • Mari A. Smith Outstanding Student in Physical Chemistry
  • ACS Outstanding Student in Inorganic Chemistry
  • ACS Outstanding Student in Organic Chemistry
  • CSUSM Dept. of Chemistry & Biochemistry Outstanding Senior in Chemistry
• Jacqueline Robinos, 2016.
• Helen Sedrak, 2018.  Pharmacy School – Loma Linda University.
• Tyler Stanley, 2018. 
• Jasimine Terrell, 2017.  Production Chemist I – Abbott Laboratories.
• Andrew Thomas. 2016.  Manufacturing Associate II – Illumina.
• Cris Thompson [Summer Scholar], 2017. Formulation Scientist I – Thermo Fisher Scientific.
  • CSUSM Dept. of Chemistry & Biochemistry Outstanding Student in Undergraduate Research
• Jenny Veyna, 2018. 

• Visiting Bridges Scholars
  • Fernando Ramirez  University of California Berkeley

• High School Visiting Scholars
  • Maxwell Lee, Del Lago Academy (2018)
  • Parker Loux, Del Lago Academy (2017)

Student research funding opportunities:

• Office Graduate Studies and Research (OGSR) Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Fund
• Associated Students, Inc. Leadership Funding (ALF)
• CSUSM Undergraduate Student Success Grant

Organic Chemistry Journals:

• Accounts of Chemical Research
• Chemical Reviews
• Journal of the American Chemical Society
• Journal of Organic Chemistry
• Organic Letters