Dr. Thomas E. Goodwin
Tom Goodwin

Elbert L. Fausett Professor of Chemistry
Julia Mobley Odyssey Professor

Office: Acxiom Hall 213
Phone: (501) 450-1252
Fax: (501) 450-3829
E-mail: goodwin@hendrix.edu
  • Robert A. Welch Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, Rice University
  • Ph.D., University of Arkansas
  • B.S., Ouachita Baptist University

Prospecting for Pheremones Via Green Solventless Extraction Techniques

Elephants breedingAfrican Elephant (Loxodonta africana) LemurRing-Tailed Lemur        (Lemur catta)
Maned WolfManed Wolf     (Chrysocyon brachyurus) Milne-Edwards SifakaMilne-Edwards Sifaka (Propithecus edwardsi)

Meadow VoleMeadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus)

Kakapo goodKakapo (Strigops habroptilus)

 

 “Our understanding of mammalian pheromones is limited, owing to the complexity of mammalian life and the mammalian brain.  Mammals integrate information received by their various senses, and this enormously complicates efforts to understand any specific signal.  In addition, interpreting the reaction to a signal can be difficult.  The reactions of mammals are not automatic, and their behavior is not necessarily reproducible.  Sometimes a pheromone produces no obvious response in a mammal.  Perhaps the animal has ignored the signal, or perhaps it has learned something for future use.  In general, behavioral studies on mammalian pheromones are much more extensive than chemical research.”---William C. Agosta. 1994 Using Chemicals to Communicate. Journal of Chemical Education. 71: 242-246.

Research Adventures with Undergraduates and Other Mammals

I am a synthetic organic chemist who often masquerades as a chemical ecologist.  The synthetic organic chemistry brain cells are focused these days largely on the development of green chemistry experiments for the introductory organic chemistry lab.  We are particularly interested in solventless reactions.  The chemical ecology brain cells are involved primarily with a study of chemical communication among elephants, in collaboration with Bruce Schulte, a behavioral biologist at Georgia Southern University.  We also collaborate with biologists to study chemical communication among maned wolves, lemurs of various species, and voles. In addition, we have begun working with a New Zealand group at Massey University to investigate chemical signaling by a severely endangered flightless parrot, the kakapo, which of course one would be hard put to classify as a mammal.  Our chemical analyses involve a solventless extraction technique (solid phase dynamic extraction; SPDE) in conjunction with GC-MS.  Please see the list of publications below, in which more information about our research can be found.  Regardless of the exact nature or goal of our research, a primary objective is undergraduate education: teaching science by doing science.  To date, over 120 undergraduate collaborators have worked on our various research projects full time in the summer and/or part time during the academic year.  Virtually all of these students have presented the results of their research during at least one national scientific meeting.

http://www.bio.georgiasouthern.edu/bio-home/schulte/schulte-home.html

http://www.hendrix.edu/academics/academics.aspx?id=3698

Summer Research Group 2008Goodwin Summer Research 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honors, Professional Societies, and Responsibilities

  • 2008 Invited Speaker, Stanford University, William S. Johnson Symposium in Organic Chemistry
  • 2007 Recipient Pfizer-St. Louis Green Chemistry Research and Education Grant
  • 2003 U.S. Professor of the Year (for baccalaureate colleges), awarded by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
  • Recipient of the Faculty Appreciation Award by the Hendrix College Class of 2002 and the Class of 2003 for “excellence in instruction and concern for students’ welfare”
  • Visiting Fellow, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra (with Professor Martin Banwell), June, 2000
  • Awarded 1998 David W. Mellor Medal for Chemical Education by the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, and delivered the Mellor Address
  • 1993 Chair, Gordon Research Conference on Heterocyclic Compounds
  • American Chemical Society
  • Phi Beta Kappa Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) (President, 1992-93)
  • Co-Editor, CUR Quarterly, 1993-1996
  • Recipient, Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation Scholar/Fellow Program for Undergraduate Institutions (1989)
  • Board Member, Riddle's Elephant Sanctuary

Publications

  • Goodwin, T.E. The Garden of Green Organic Chemistry at Hendrix College. In Changing the Course of Chemistry: Green Chemistry Education; Anastas, P.T., Levy, I.J., Parent, K.E., Eds.; ACS Symposium Series 1011; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2009; pp 37-53.

  • Goodwin, T.E. & Schulte, B.A. 2009. Prospecting for mammalian chemical signals via solventless extraction techniques: an elephantine task. ChemoSense, 11(2), 9-15.

  • McKenzie, L.C.; Huffman, L.M.; Hutchison, J.E.; Rogers, C.E.; Goodwin, T.E.; and Spessard, G.O. 2009. Greener Solutions for the Organic Chemistry Teaching Lab: Exploring the Advantages of Alternative Reaction Media. J. Chem. Educ., 86, 488-493.
  • Loizi, H., Goodwin, T.E., Rasmussen, L.E.L., Whitehouse, A.M. & Schulte, B.A. 2009. Sexual dimorphism in the performance of chemosensory investigatory behaviours by African elephants (Loxodonta africana). Behaviour, 146, 373-392.
  • “Intrasexual chemical communication and social responses of captive female African elephants, Loxodonta africana Meyer, J.M.; Goodwin, T.E.; Schulte, B.A. Animal Behavior  2008, 76, 163-174.
  • Castelda, S.M., Goodwin, T.E. & Schulte, B.A. 2008. Investigating chemical signals in African elephants for convergence with insects and similarities with Asian elephants. Pp. 81-91, in: Proceedings of the 2007 International Elephant Conservation & Research Symposium, Orlando, FL.
  • “Use of Automated Solid Phase Dynamic Extraction (SPDE)/GC-MS and Novel Macros in the Search for African Elephant Pheromones,” T. E. Goodwin, P. A. Brown, M. S. Eggert, M. G. Evola, S. J. House, R. G. Morshedi, M. E. Weddell, C. J. Chen, S. R. Jackson, Y. Aubut, J. Eggert, B. A. Schulte, L. E. L. Rasmussen, Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 11 2007 J. Hurst, R. Beynon, T. Wyatt, & C. Roberts, Eds., Springer Press, NY, pp 25-35.
  • “Honest Signalling through Chemicals by Elephants with Applications for Care and Conservation”, Schulte, B. A.; Freeman, E. W.; Goodwin, T. E.; Hollister-Smith, J.; Rasmussen, L.E.L. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2007, 102, 344.
  • “Insect Pheromones and Precursors in Female African Elephant Urine”, Goodwin, T. E.; Eggert, M. S.; House, S. J.; Weddell, M. E.; Schulte, B. A.; Rasmussen, L. E. L., Journal of Chemical Ecology 2006, 32, 1849.
  • “Palladium-catalysed Cross-coupling and Related Reactions Involving Pyrroles” Banwell, M. G.; Goodwin, T. E.; Ng, S.; Smith, J. A.; Wong, D. J. European Journal of Organic Chemistry 2006, 14, 3043.
  • “Male African elephants (Loxodonta africana) can distinguish oestrous status via urinary signals”, Bagley, K. R.; Goodwin, T. E.; Rasmussen, L. E. L.; Schulte, B. A. Animal Behaviour 2006, 71, 1439.
  • “African Elephant Chemical Communication and Humans in Tanzania”, Schulte, B. A.; Napora, E.; Vyas, D. K.; Goodwin, T. E.; Rasmussen, L.E.L. J. Elephant Managers Association 2006, 17, 28.
  • “African elephant births and post-partum events in West Kilimanjaro, Tanzania”,
  • Vyas, D. K.; Goodwin, T. E.; Rasmussen, L.E.L.; Schulte, B. A. J. Elephant Managers Association 2006, 16, 30.
  • “Elephant Death Possibly by Constipation”, Vyas, D. K.; Goodwin, T. E.; Rasmussen, L.E.L.; Schulte, B. A. Pachyderm 2005, 39, 93.
  • “Chemical Analysis of Preovulatory Female African Elephant Urine: A Search for Putative Pheromones”, Goodwin, T. E.; Rasmussen, L. E.L.; Schulte, B. A.; Brown, P. A.; Davis, B. L.; Dill, W. M.; Dowdy, N. C.; Hicks, A. R.; Morshedi, R. G.; Mwanza, D.; Loizi, H., Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 10 2005, R. T. Mason, M. P. LeMaster, and D. Muller-Schwarze, eds., Springer, NY, pp 128-139.
  • “Hormone Receptor Expression in Interdigital Glands of the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)”, Lamps, L. W.; Smoller, B. R.; Goodwin, T. E.; Rasmussen, L. E. L., Zoo Biology 2004, 23, 463.
  • “An Asymptotic Approach to the Development of a Green Organic Chemistry Laboratory”, Goodwin, T. E., J. Chem. Educ. 2004, 81, 1187.
  • “Elephant Chemotactile Communication and Conservation”, Schulte, B. A.; Loizi, H.; Bagley, K.; Gray, A.; Stanley, L.; Correll, M.; Goodwin, T. E.; Brown, P. A.; Davis, B. L.; Dill, W. M.; Dowdy, N. C.; Hicks, A. R.; Morshedi, R. G.; Mwanza, D.; Rasmussen, L. E. L. J. Elephant Managers Assoc. 2004, 15, 16-23.
  • "African Elephant Sesquiterpenes. II. Identification and Synthesis of New Derivatives of 2,3-Dihydrofarnesol", Goodwin, T. E.; Brown, F. D.; Counts, R. W.; Dowdy, N. C.; Fraley, P. L.; Hughes, R. A.; Liu, D. Z.; Mashburn, C. D.; Rankin, J. D.; Roberson, R. S.; Wooley, K. D.; Rasmussen, E. L.; Riddle, S. W.; Riddle, H. S.; Schulz, S. J. Nat. Prod. 2002, 65, 1319.
  • “Initial Studies on the Source and Cyclic Release Pattern of (Z)-7-Dodecenyl Acetate, the Preovulatory Pheromone of Female Asian Elephants,” L. E. L. Rasmussen and T. E. Goodwin, Chem. Senses 2000, 25, 603.
  • "Characterization of Interdigital Glands in the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)", L. W. Lamps, B. R. Smoller, L.E.L. Rasmussen, B. E. Slade, G. Fritsch, and T. E. Goodwin Research in Veterinary Science 2001, 71, 197-200.
  • “Unwinding of Unnatural Substrates by a DNA Helicase”, A. J. Tackett, P. D. Morris, R. Dennis, T. E. Goodwin, K. D. Raney, Biochemistry 2001, 40, 543.
  • “Enhanced Pneumocystis carinii Activity of New Primaquine Analogs”, T. E. Goodwin, C. J. Boylan, W. L. Current, J. C. Byrd, C. B. Edwards, D. A. Fuller, J. L. Green, C. D. Larocca, K. D. Raney, A. S. Ross, and W. A. Tucker, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Letters 2000, 10, 2205.
  • “The First Disclosure and Preliminary Investigation of a Liquid Released from the Ears of African Elephants”, H. S. Riddle, S. W. Riddle, L. E. L. Rasmussen,  and T. E. Goodwin, Zoo Biology 2000, 19, 475.
  • “Synthesis of 13C,2H3-Salmeterol: An Analytical Internal Standard for Pharmacokinetic Studies,” T. E. Goodwin, X. Zhou, P. A. Haile, P. Breen, P. J. Anderson, F. C. Hiller, and C. M. Compadre Journal of Labelled Compounds and Radiopharmaceuticals, 2000, 43, 65.
  • “African Elephant Sesquiterpenes,” T. E. Goodwin, L. E. L. Rasmussen, A. C. Guinn, S. S. McKelvey, R. Gunawardena, S. W. Riddle, and H. S. Riddle Journal of Natural Products, 1999, 62, 1570.
  • “A Multistep Synthesis of 4-Nitro-1-Ethynylbenzene Involving Palladium-Catalyzed Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation, Conformational Analysis Using NMR Spectroscopy and Molecular Modeling, Acetal Hydrolysis, and Oxidative Decarbonylation,” T. E. Goodwin, E. M. Hurst, and A. S. Ross J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 74.
  • “Observations on the Stereochemistry of Reduction of 2,6-Dimethylcyclohexanones,” T. E. Goodwin, J. M. Meacham, M. E. Smith Canadian J. Chem. 1998, 76, 1308.
  • “A Simple Procedure for Solid Phase Synthesis of Peptide Nucleic Acids with N-Terminal Cysteine,” T. E. Goodwin, R. D. Holland, J. O. Lay, Jr., and K. D. Raney Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 1998, 8, 2231.
  • “Synthesis of Conformationally Mobile Bicyclic Tetrahydro-1,2-Oxazines by Isomerization of Isoxazolidinylmethyl Tosylates,” T. E. Goodwin, D. M. Cousins, S. D. Debenham, J. L. Green, M. L. Guyer, E. G. Jacobs, T. R. Hoye, D. O. Koltun, and J. R. Vyvyan J. Org. Chem. 1998, 63, 4485.
  • “Synthesis of Highly Phenylated Poly(p-phenylene vinylenes) via a Chlorine Precursor Route,” B. R. Hsieh, W. C. Wan, Y. Yu, Y. Gao, T. E. Goodwin, S. A. Gonzalez, and W. A. Feld Macromolecules 1998, 31, 631.
  • “Synthesis of Two New Maytansinoid Model Compounds from Carbohydrate Precursors,” T. E. Goodwin, K. R. Cousins, H. M. Crane, P. O. Eason, T. E. Freyaldenhoven, C. C. Harmon, B. K. King, C. D. Larocca, R. L. Lile, S. G. Orlicek, R. W. Pelton, O. L. Shedd, J. S. Swanson, and J. W. Thompson J. Carbohydr. Chem. 1998, 17, 323.
  • “Crystal Structure of (4a,4aa,8aa)-(+)-Octahydro-2-(phenylmethyl)--2H-1,2-benzoxazin-4-ol, 4-Methylbenzenesulfonate (ester),” W. Cordes, J. L. Smith, M. C. Noble, T. E. Goodwin, D. M. Cousins, and E. G. Jacobs J. Chem. Cryst. 1998, 28, 133.
  • “How to Get Started in Research,” a booklet published by the Council on Undergraduate Research, 1995 (Co-authored and edited with B. Holmes, UNC-Asheville) [2nd Edition, 1999].
  • “Notes from a Fledgling Elephant Researcher,” T. E. Goodwin Journal of the Elephant Manager’s Association 1997, 8, 42.
  • Synthesis of Highly Phenylated Poly(p-phenylenevinylenes) via Halogen Precursor Route (HPR),” S. A. Gonzalez, T. E. Goodwin, W. A. Feld, and B. R. Hsieh Polymer Preprints 1997, 38, April Issue.
  • “Stereoselectivity Reversals in Conjugate Additions to a 2,3-Dihydro-4H-pyran-4-one,” T. E. Goodwin, N. M. Rothman, K. L. Salazar, S. L. Sorrels, and F. E. Evans J. Org. Chem. 1992, 57, 2469.
  • “Preparation of an Aromatic Synthon for Maytansinoid Synthesis,” T. E. Goodwin, S. G. Orlicek, N. R. Adams, L. A. Covey-Morrison, J. S. Jenkins, and G. L. Templeton J. Org. Chem. 1985, 50, 5889.
  • “Stereoselective addition of organocopper reagents to a novel carbohydrate-derived 2,3-dihydro-4H-pyran-4-one,” T. E. Goodwin, C. M. Crowder, R. B.White, J. S. Swanson, F. E. Evans, and W. L. Meyer J. Org. Chem. 1983, 48, 376.
  • Synthesis of (E)-1-aryl-2-methyl-3-alkyl-2-propen-1-ones via sulfoxide sulfenate ester rearrangements,” T. E. Goodwin, D. G. Ratcliff, C. M. Crowder, and N. K. Seitzinger J. Org. Chem. 1982, 47, 815.

Did You Know?

  • Hendrix graduates who immediately enter the job market obtain employment within 6 months of graduation.
  • Student/Faculty Ratio: 13:1
  • Average Class Size: 19
  • 100% of our students receive some form of achievement-based and/or need-based state, federal or institutional assistance.
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