Elizabeth Colby Davie, Ph.D.
Director of the Honors Program
Professor of Organic Chemistry
Degrees Earned
B.A., Macalester College
Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Research
Assumption College
Associate, Assistant Professor of Chemistry 2007 – present
Synthesis: A research program involving undergraduates was initiated that is aimed toward the total synthesis of bioactive natural products. The natural product montamine was synthesized by a bidirectional route and showed the structure was incorrect. The revised structure of montamine was synthesized and NMR data extensively analyzed and compared to a known natural product providing strong evidence for the corrected structure.
University of Massachusetts Medical School, 2013 – 2014
Visiting Faculty in the laboratory of Professor William R. Kobertz
Synthesis: Near-IR fluorescent potassium ion sensors were synthesized.
Boston College, 2005 – 2007
NIH Postdoctoral Research Fellow with Professor Scott J. Miller
Methodology: Investigation of minimal nucleophilic peptides as enantioselective catalysts.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2001 – 2005
Graduate Research with Professor Timothy F. Jamison
Synthesis and Methodology: Total synthesis of amphidinolides T1 and T4 and synthesis and investigation of P-chiral ferrocenyl phosphines in nickel-catalyzed enantioselective reactions.
University of Minnesota
Lando Undergraduate Research Fellow with Professor Thomas R. Hoye
Simplified analogs of acetogenin natural products were synthesized.
Macalester College, summer 1999, summer 1998
Howard Hughes Undergraduate Research Fellow with Professor Rebecca C. Hoye
Studies toward the synthesis of analogs of the natural product elenic acid.
Publications
(Assumption College undergraduate co-authors are shown in bold type. Maiden name is denoted Colby, E. A.)
Bandara, H. M. D.; Hua, Z.; Pauff, S. M.; Miller, S. C.; Davie, E. A. C.; Kobertz, W. R. Palladium- Mediated Synthesis of a Near-IR Fluorescent K+ Sensor. Journal of Organic Chemistry 2017, 82, 8199- 8205.
Henry, K. G.; Blair, L. M.; Sperry, J.; Davie, E. A. C. 4,4′-Bismoschamine: Biomimetic Synthesis and Evidence to Support Structural Equivalency to Montamine. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry 2016, 14, 8838-8847.
Davie, E. A. C. Multistep Synthesis of a Terphenyl Derivative Showcasing a Diels-Alder Reaction. Journal of Chemical Education 2015, 92, 1209-1213.
Blair, L. M.; Davie, E. A. C.; Sperry, J. Total Synthesis of Putative Montamine and a Proposed Structural Reassignment. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry 2014, 12, 6878-6884.
Freitas, M. B.; Simollardes, K. A.; Rufo, C. M.; McLellan, C. N.; Dugas, G. J.; Lupien, L. E.; Davie, E. A. C. Bidirectional Synthesis of Montamine Analogs. Tetrahedron Letters 2013, 54, 5489- 5491.
Davie, E. A. C.; Mennen, S. M.; Xu, Y.; Miller, S. J. Asymmetric Catalysis Mediated by Synthetic Peptides. Chemical Reviews 2007, 107, 5759-5812.
Colby, E. A.; O’Brien, K. C.; Jamison, T. F. Total Syntheses of Amphidinolides T1 and T4 via Catalytic, Stereoselective Reductive Macrocyclizations. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2005, 127, 4297-4307.
Colby, E. A.; Jamison, T. F. A Comparative Analysis of the Total Syntheses of the Amphidinolide T Natural Products. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry 2005, 3, 2675-2684.
O’Brien, K. C.; Colby, E. A.; Jamison, T. F. Synthesis of C13-C22 of Amphidinolide T2 via Nickel- Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of an Alkyne and a Terminal Epoxide. Tetrahedron 2005, 61, 6243-6248. Miller, K. M.; Colby, E. A.; Woodin, K. S.; Jamison, T. F. Asymmetric Catalytic Reductive Couplings of 1,3-Enynes and Aromatic Aldehydes. Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis 2005, 347, 1533-1536.
Colby, E. A.; O’Brien, K. C.; Jamison, T. F. Synthesis of Amphidinolide T1 via Catalytic Stereoselective Macrocyclization. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2004, 126, 998-999.
Colby, E. A.; Jamison, T. F. P-Chiral, Monodentate Ferrocenyl Phosphines, Novel Ligands for Asymmetric Catalysis. Journal of Organic Chemistry 2003, 68, 156-166.
Presentations
(Assumption College co-authors shown in bold)
Invited oral presentation, University of Minnesota, NSF-sponsored workshop Teaching Guided-Inquiry Organic Chemistry Laboratories (Chemistry Collaborations, Workshops, & Communities of Scholars series). “Beyond Survival Mode: Fostering Scientific Thinking in the Organic Lab. ” June 6, 2016.
Invited oral presentation, Bowdoin College (chemistry seminar series). “Efforts Toward the Synthesis and Structural Revision of the Natural Product Montamine.” November 20, 2015.
Oral presentation at the 250th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, August 16, 2015. Elizabeth A. Colby Davie. “Adventures with the Natural Product Montamine: Synthetic Efforts and Structural Insights.” ORGN-71.
Poster presentation at the 250th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, August 19, 2015. Kaitlin Henry, Jessica Wisniewski, and Elizabeth A. Colby Davie. “Efficient Synthesis of 5- Hydroxytryptophol and Derivative.” ORGN-703.
Poster presentation at the Boston Symposium on Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry (BSOBC), October 8, 2014. Jonathan Sperry and Elizabeth A. Colby Davie. “Lessons from the Synthesis of Putative Montamine.”
Presentation of sabbatical research at the Assumption College Natural Science Seminar Series, September 29, 2014. “Organic Synthesis- Modern Applications Beyond Stumping Students.”
Poster presentation at the 2013 Northeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, October 25, 2013. Melanie B. Freitas and Elizabeth A. Colby Davie. “Progress Toward the Synthesis of Montamine Employing Bidirectional Synthesis.” NERM-1240.
Poster presentation at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, August 25, 2010. Elizabeth A. Colby Davie, Chantel McLellan, Caroline Rufo, Kelly Simollardes, Michael A. Dion, Gabrielle J. Dugas, Jaclyn M. St. Louis, Leslie E. Lupien. “Studies Directed Toward the Synthesis of Montamine.” ORGN-1057.
Presentation of research at the Assumption College Natural Science Seminar Series, February 16, 2009. “Lessons and Questions from Natural Product Synthesis Endeavors.”
Poster presentation at the 232nd National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, September 19, 2006. Elizabeth A. Colby Davie and Scott J. Miller. “Peptide-Catalyzed Kinetic Resolution of 1,1′-Bi- 2-naphthol and Derivatives.” ORGN-159.
Poster presentation at the Gordon Research Conference on Stereochemistry, June 21, 2006. Elizabeth A. Colby Davie and Scott J. Miller. “Peptide-Catalyzed Kinetic Resolution of 2,2′- Binaphthol and Derivatives.”
Invited oral presentation at Bristol-Myers Squibb, May 5, 2005 (fellowship awardee symposium). “Total Syntheses of Amphidinolides T1 and T4 via Catalytic, Reductive Macrocyclizations.”
Oral presentation at the 226th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, September 10, 2003. Elizabeth A. Colby and Timothy F. Jamison. “Application of Asymmetric Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling Reactions to the Total Synthesis of Amphidinolide T1.” ORGN-643.
Oral presentation at the 224th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, August 20, 2002. Elizabeth A. Colby and Timothy F. Jamison. “Novel P-Chiral Ferrocenyl Phosphines for Nickel- Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Alkynes and Aldehydes.” ORGN-416.
Awards and Honor Societies
Michael O’Shea Presidential Award for Teaching Excellence, Assumption College · 2016
Outstanding Teaching Assistant, Massachusetts Institute of Technology · 2001
Macalester College Award for Outstanding Research in Chemistry · 2000
Macalester College Award for Outstanding Senior Student in Chemistry · 2000
Presidential Leadership Award, Macalester College · 2000
Outstanding Scholar-Athlete Award, Macalester College · 2000
Academic All-American Athlete · 2000
Phi Beta Kappa · 1999 (inducted as college junior)
Iota Sigma Pi, national honor society for women in chemistry · 1999
Pi Mu Epsilon, honorary national mathematics society · 1999
Macalester College Award for Outstanding Junior Student in Chemistry · 1999
Macalester College Award for Outstanding First-Year Student in Chemistry (CRC) · 1997
National Merit Scholar (sponsored by Honeywell) · 1996 – 2000