Dr Alexander Gentleman
College positions: College Lecturer in Natural Sciences (Physical)
University position: Research Associate
Subject: Chemistry; Physical Sciences
Dr Alexander Gentleman is a College Lecturer in Natural Sciences at Magdalene.
Before joining Cambridge, Dr Alexander Gentleman was a Senior College Lecturer in Physical Chemistry at Keble College, Oxford. He also held Postdoctoral Research Associate positions in the research groups of Professor Stuart Mackenzie and Professor Claire Vallance in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oxford from 2014 to 2019.
He graduated from the University of Adelaide, Australia, with a BSc degree in 2004, majoring in the chemistry of materials and theoretical physics. He completed a BSc (Honours) in Chemistry in 2005, followed by a PhD in Chemical Sciences in 2014.
Research Interests
- Development of new optical detection and spectroscopy methods for optofluidic microreactors using hollow-core photonic crystal fibres to study hybrid photocatalytic systems
- Development and optimisation of colorimetric assays for detecting nutrients and pollutants in natural waters, evaluated within optical microcavity sensors
- Investigation of photodissociation dynamics of gas-phase transition metal-containing molecules using Velocity-Map Imaging (VMI)
- Combined use of infrared (IR) action spectroscopy and computational chemistry to examine:
- Structures of gas-phase metal ion–molecule complexes
- Structures of gas-phase transition metal clusters and their small molecule complexes
- IR-induced reactivity of small molecules adsorbed to transition metal cluster surfaces
- High-resolution spectroscopy of small hydrocarbon molecules
- Application of computational chemistry to interpret experimental data in organic and inorganic reactions, such as:
- Product selectivity of P450 enzymes
- Decarboxylation mechanisms in organometallic reactions
Qualifications
- B.Sc, University of Adelaide, Australia
- B.Sc (Hons), University of Adelaide, Australia
- PhD, University of Adelaide, Australia
KEY PUBLICATIONS
Photodissociation dynamics and the dissociation energy of vanadium monoxide, VO, investigated using velocity map, AS Gentleman, A Iskra, H Köckert, SR Mackenzie. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 21 (28), pp. 15560–15567.
Infrared spectroscopy of closed s-shell gas-phase M+(N₂O)n (M = Li, Al) ion-molecule complexes, EM Cunningham, AS Gentleman, PW Beardsmore, SR Mackenzie. Molecular Physics, 117 (21), pp. 2990–3000.
Structural isomers and low-lying electronic states of gas-phase M+(N₂O)n (M = Co, Rh, Ir) ion–molecule complexes, EM Cunningham, AS Gentleman, PW Beardsmore, SR Mackenzie. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 21 (26), pp. 13959–13967.
Carbon dioxide binding to metal oxides: Infrared spectroscopy of NbO₂⁺(CO₂)n and TaO₂⁺(CO₂)n complexes, A Iskra, AS Gentleman, EM Cunningham, SR Mackenzie. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 435, pp. 93–100.
IR Signature of Size‐Selective CO₂ Activation on Small Platinum Cluster Anions, Ptn⁻ (n = 4–7), AE Green, J Justen, W Schöllkopf, AS Gentleman, A Fielicke, SR Mackenzie. Angewandte Chemie, 130 (45), pp. 15038–15042.
Infrared Spectroscopy of Au⁺(CH₄)n Complexes and Vibrationally-Enhanced C–H Activation Reactions, AS Gentleman, AE Green, DR Price, EM Cunningham, A Iskra, SR Mackenzie. Topics in Catalysis, 61 (1–2), pp. 81–91.
Infrared Signature of Structural Isomers of Gas–Phase M⁺(N₂O)n (M = Cu, Ag, Au) Ion–Molecule Complexes, EM Cunningham, AS Gentleman, PW Beardsmore, A Iskra, SR Mackenzie. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 121 (40), pp. 7565–7571.
Photofragmentation dynamics and dissociation energies of MoO and CrO, GA Cooper, AS Gentleman, A Iskra, SR Mackenzie. The Journal of Chemical Physics, 147 (1), 013921.
Infrared Spectroscopy of Gas-Phase M⁺(CO₂)n (M = Co, Rh, Ir) Ion–Molecule Complexes, A Iskra, AS Gentleman, A Kartouzian, MJ Kent, AP Sharp, SR Mackenzie. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 121 (1), pp. 133–140.
Dissociation energies of Ag–RG (RG = Ar, Kr, Xe) and AgO molecules from velocity map imaging studies, GA Cooper, A Kartouzian, AS Gentleman, A Iskra, R van Wijk, SR Mackenzie. The Journal of Chemical Physics, 143, 124302.
Facile decarboxylation of propiolic acid on a ruthenium center and related chemistry, JH Bowie, MI Bruce, MA Buntine, AS Gentleman, DC Graham, PJ Low, GF Metha, C Mitchell, CR Parker, BW Skelton, AH White. Organometallics, 31 (15), pp. 5262–5273.
A density functional theory investigation of the bimetallic clusters Nb₂Rh and NbRh₂ and the complexes they form with CO, AS Gentleman, MA Addicoat, GF Metha. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 64 (12), pp. 1554–1559.
Photoionization efficiency spectroscopy and density functional theory investigations of clusters, AS Gentleman, MA Addicoat, V Dryza, JR Gascooke, MA Buntine, GF Metha. The Journal of Chemical Physics, 130 (16), 164311.