Welcome to Arkansas State University!

Professor of Chemistry


Education

  • Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Iowa
  • B.S. Chemistry and Biology, Southeastern Oklahoma State University

Teaching Specialties

  • Organometallics 
  • Inorganic Synthesis
  • Coordination Chemistry
  • Physical Inorganic Chemistry

Research Interests

  • Modeling of hydrodesulfurization catalysts 
  • Coordination complexes with sulfur ligation
  • Thermally induced condensed phase electron transfer

Affiliations

  • American Chemical Society
  • Inorganic Division, A.C.S.
  • Chemical Education Division, A.C.S.
  • Solid State Subdivision, A.C.S.
  • Organometallic Subdivision, A.C.S. 
  • Arkansas Academy of Science
  • Mid-south Inorganic Chemists Association

Biography

After completing a post-doctoral appointment at the University of Illinois, Draganjac joined the faculty at A-State in 1985. As an Inorganic Chemist, he has been involved in the synthesis, structural characterization and reactivity of transition metal complexes containing sulfur-based ligands. These complexes serve as models for both industrial and biological catalytic systems. Emphasis is placed on the synthesis and structural characterization of transition metal complexes with thiophenic ligands in order to model the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) process, used industrially to remove sulfur contaminates from fossil fuel feed stocks. Studies on the thermally induced electron transfer between condensed phase materials are currently under investigation. He has over 40 publications and 100 presentations and has reviewed proposals for the National Science Foundation and the Petroleum Research Fund, as well as serving as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Chemical Crystallography, Organometallics, Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Synthesis and Reactivity in Inorganic and Metal-Organic Chemistry and the Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science. His work has placed him as one of the Top 10858 Cited Chemists, 1981 - 1997. He served as President of the Arkansas Academy of Science in 2001 and received the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award in 2002. He is currently the Official Chemistry Professor of ROCK103, Memphis.