PUBLICATIONS
Undergraduate student co-authors are signified with asterisks
PATENTS
1. A. Mirjafari, Long-term DNA preservation and storage at ambient temperature. U.S. Patent 11,434,520 B2 September 6, 2022.
PUBLICATIONS
2025
1. M. Musozoda,** A. L. Bishuk,* B. J. Britton,* M. Scheuren,* C. H. Laber, G. A. Baker, M. S. Baker, M. Zeller, D. H. Paull, P. C. Hillesheim, A. Mirjafari, Property-driven design of thermally robust organophosphorus ionic liquids for high-temperature applications. ACS Appl. Eng. Mater. 2025, 3, 1468–1482; DOI: 10.1021/acsaenm.5c00221
2. M. Musozoda,** R. A. O’Brien, Z. J. Metott,* R. A. Jerdo,* C. M. Butch,** M. Zeller, G. R. Boyce, P. C. Hillesheim, A. Mirjafari, Low melting lipid-inspired ionic liquids via synergistic cyclopropanation and branching of terpenoids. ACS Mater. Au 2025, 10.1021/acsmaterialsau.5c00089
3. D. Hardy,* A. Albert,* J. Lipani*, Z. J. Metott,* A. Mirjafari, D. Wagle, Mechanistic insights into the stabilizing role of deep eutectic solvents for nucleic acids: An in silico analysis. J. Phys. Chem. B 2025, 129, 5674−5682; DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.5c00799
4. C. McNeill,* M. Scheuren,* J. Cooper,* B. Sophia,* M. Musozoda,** J. Tolbert,* M. Zeller, A. Mirjafari, P. C. Hillesheim, Mapping the crystallographic landscape of anti-vitamin ionic liquids: structural blueprints for novel architectures. Cryst. Growth Des. 2025, 25, 3968–397; DOI: 10.1021/acs.cgd.5c00378
5. C. Butch,** P. C. Hillesheim, A. Mirjafari, Salt metathesis: An ultimate click reaction. Precis. Chem. 2025, 3, 105–107. DOI: 10.1021/prechem.4c00088
2024
6. J. Yeboah,** Z. J. Metott,* C. Butch,** P. C. Hillesheim, A. Mirjafari, Are nature's strategies the solutions to the rational development of low-melting, lipophilic ionic liquids? Chem. Commun. 2024, 60, 3891–3909. DOI: 10.1039/D3CC06066G (invited contribution)
7. M. Musozoda,* J. E. Muller II,* G. I. Anderson,* M. Boucher,* M. Zeller, C. C. Raymond, P. C. Hillesheim, A. Mirjafari, Alkyl-templated cocrystallization of long-chain bromoalkanes by lipid-like ionic liquids. Chem. Commun. 2024, 60, 1723-1726, DOI: 10.1039/D3CC04834A
8. M. Scheuren,* L. Teodoro,* A. Witters,* M. Musozoda,** C. Adu,** G. Guillet, R. Freeze, M. Zeller, A. Mirjafari, P. C. Hillesheim, Planting the seeds of a decision tree for ionic liquids: Steric and electronic impacts on melting points of triarylphospounium ionic liquids. J. Phys. Chem. B 2024, 128, 5895–5907. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c02196
9. M. Boucher,* S. Bellia,* A. Howarth,* A. Collart,* M. Musozoda,** C. Adu,** A. Barbosa,* P. Fulvio, A. Mirjafari, M. Zeller, P. C. Hillesheim, Discerning the impact of non-covalent interactions via simulated crystal growth: A structural study of aromatic esters. Cryst. Growth Des. 2024, 24, 2841–2854. DOI: 10.1021/acs.cgd.3c01485
10. F. Momenbeik, Z. Ghehsareh, M. M. Reardon,* A. Mirjafari, Extraction of fat-soluble vitamins by solidification of a sedimentary ionic liquid droplet liquid phase microextraction. Microchem. J. 2024, 203, 110887. DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2024.110887.
2023
11. C. Adu,** M. Boucher,* P. C. Hillesheim, A. Mirjafari, Ionic liquids containing the sulfonyl fluoride moiety: Integrating chemical biology with materials design. J. Electrochem. Soc. 2023, 170, 066511, DOI: 10.1149/1945-7111/acdeac
12. R. A. O’Brien, P. C. Hillesheim, M. Soltani, K. J. Badilla-Nunez,* B. Siu,* M. Musozoda,* K. N. West, J. H. Davis, Jr., A. Mirjafari, Cyclopropane as an unsaturation “effect isostere”: Lowering the melting points in lipid-like ionic liquids. J. Phys. Chem. B 2023, 127, 1429-1442. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c07872
13. M. Soltani, B. Siu,* M. Vo,* K. N. West, C. Adu,** A. Mirjafari, J. H. Davis, Jr., Ionic liquids with benzenesulfonate anions: Non-fluorinated, thermally stable anion options. ACS Appl. Eng. Mater. 2023, 1, 690-695. DOI: 10.1021/acsaenm.2c00229
14. S. Bellia,* M. Metzler,* M. Huynh,* M. Zeller, A. Mirjafari, P. Cohn, P. C. Hillesheim, Bridging the crystal and solution structure of a series of lipid-inspired ionic liquids. Soft Matter 2023, 19, 749-765. DOI: 10.1039/D2SM01478E
15. G. I. Anderson,* D. Hardy,* P. C. Hillesheim, D. V. Wagle, M. Zeller, G. A. Baker, A. Mirjafari, Anticancer agents as design archetype: Insights into structure-property relationships of ionic liquids with a triarylmethyl moiety. ACS Phys. Chem. Au 2023, 3, 94-106. DOI: 10.1021/acsphyschemau.2c00048
2022
16. E. A. Recker,* M. Green,** M. Soltani, G. J. McManus, D. H. Paull, J. H. Davis, Jr., A. Mirjafari, Direct air capture of CO2 via ionic liquids derived from “waste” amino acids. ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2022, 10, 11885-11890. DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c02883
17. S. Bellia,* L. I. Teodoro,* A. J. Barbosa,* M. Zeller, A. Mirjafari, P. C. Hillesheim, Contrasting interactions of aromatic sulfonyl fluoride and sulfonyl chloride motifs via crystallographic and Hirshfeld surface analysis. ChemistrySelect, 2022, 7, e202203797. DOI: 10.1002/slct.202203797
18. S. Bellia,* G. I. Anderson,* M. Zeller, A. Mirjafari, P. C. Hillesheim, 1-Methyl-5-nitroimidazolium chloride. IUCrData 2022, 7, x220878. DOI: 10.1107/S2414314622008781
2021
19. G. I. Anderson,* S. Bellia,* M. Zeller, P. C. Hillesheim, A. Mirjafari, Quinine dihydrochloride hemihydrate. IUCrData 2021, 6, x210406.
20. J. Hu, Z. Almansaf, F. Zanca, B. Kampmeyer, M. Tsuji, K. Maity, V. Lomonte, Y. Ha, P. Mastrorilli, S. Todisco, M. Benamara, R. Oktavian, A. Mirjafari, P. Moghadam, H. Shahsavari, A. R.; Khosropour, H. Beyzavi, A Pt(II) decorated covalent organic framework for photocatalytic difluoroalkylation and oxidative cyclization reactions. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2021, 13, 6349-6358.
21. E. A. Recker,* D. Hardly,* G. I. Anderson,* A. Mirjafari, D. V. Wagle, Covalently linked hydrogen bond donors: The other side of molecular frustration in deep eutectic solvents. J. Chem. Phys. 2021, 155, 084502.
22. B. O’Rourke,* C. Lauderback,* L. I. Teodoro,* M. Grimm,* M. Zeller, G. L. Guillet, A. Mirjafari, P. C. Hillesheim, Developing structural first principles for alkylated triphenylphosphonium-based ionic liquids. ACS Omega 2021, 6, 32258-32296.
23. D. J. Siegel,* G. I. Anderson,* L. M. Paul, P. J. Seibert,* P. C. Hillesheim, Y. Sheng, M. Zeller, A. Taubert, P. Werner, C. Balischewski, S. F. Michael, A. Mirjafari, Design principles of lipid-like ionic liquids for gene delivery. ACS Appl. Bio Mater. 2021, 4, 4737-4743.
24. D. J. Siegel,* G. I. Anderson,* N. Cyr,* D. S. Lambrecht, M. Zeller, P. C. Hillesheim, Molecular design principles of ionic liquids with a sulfonyl fluoride moiety. New J. Chem. 2021, 45, 2443-2452.
2020
25. N. Cyr,* M. Zeller, P. C. Hillesheim, A. Mirjafari, Structure of 1,2-dimethyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium benzenesulfonate • 1,2-dimethylimidazole co-crystal. IUCrData 2020, x2006689.
26. G. Anderson,* A. Mirjafari, M. Zeller, P. C. Hillesheim, 2,3-Dimethyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium chloride. IUCrData, 2020, 5, x200660.
27. J. E. Muller II,* L. R. Osborn,* J. R. Traver, P. C. Hillesheim, M. Zeller, A. Mirjafari, 2-(Octadecylsulfanyl)-1,3-thiazole. IUCrData 2020, 5, x200170.
28. D. J. Siegel,* A. N. Howarth,* J. R. Traver,* P. C. Hillesheim, M. Zeller, A. Mirjafari, 2,2′ [Methylenebis(sulfanediyl)]bis(pyridine 1-oxide). IUCrData 2020, 5, x200171.
2019
29. R. D. Burton,* D. J. Siegel,* J. E. Muller II,* M. Regner,* Y. Sheng, G. J. McManus, A. Mirjafari, From gene delivery agents to ionic liquids: The impacts of cation structure and anion identity on liquefaction. J. Mol. Liq. 2019, 296, 111758.
30. Z. Schultz,* J. C. Gaitor,* R. D. Burton,* M. Regner,* Y. Sheng, A. Mirjafari, Phosphorodithioate functionalized ionic liquids: Synthesis and physicochemical properties characterization. J. Mol. Liq. 2019, 276, 334-337.
2018
31. T. Hmissa,* X. Zhang, N. R. Dhumal, G. J. McManus, X. Zhou, H. N. Nulwala, A. Mirjafari, Autocatalytic synthesis of bifluoride ionic liquids by SuFEx click chemistry. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 16005-16009.
32. A. Mirjafari, Ionic liquid syntheses via click chemistry: expeditious routes toward versatile functional materials. Chem. Commun. 2018, 54, 2944-2961 (Invited contribution).
33. H. N. Nulwala, A. Mirjafari, X. Zhou, Ionic liquids and poly(ionic liquid)s for 3D printing ‒ a focused mini-review. Eur. Polym. J. 2018, 108, 390-398 (Invited contribution).
34. J. Fouchet, B. Heinrich, M. L'Her, E. Voirin, L. Karmazin, C. Bailly, R. Welter, A. Mirjafari, L. Douce, Heterogeneous microwave-assisted Ullmann type methodology for synthesis of rigid-core ionic liquid crystals. New J. Chem. 2018, 42, 10421-10431.
35. S. T. Nestor,* A. N Hawkins,* X. Xhani,* R. E. Sykora, J. X. Mao, K. Nam, G. J. McManus, A. Mirjafari, Studies on solubility and S-alkylation of 2-thiouracil in ionic liquids. J. Mol. Liq. 2018, 265, 463-467.
36. N. R. Dhumal, A. Mirjafari, H. J. Kim, Deconvolution of conformational equilibria in methimazolium-based ionic liquid ion pair: Infrared spectroscopic and computational study. J. Mol. Liq. 2018, 266, 194-202.
37. T. Hmissa,* L. L Mathivathanan, A. P. Thompson,* A. Mirjafari, 1-Methyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium methanesulfonate. IUCrData 2018, 3, x181781.
38. K. Sinclair,* A. Mirjafari, S. Coticone, A tale of two spices: Differential discrimination between the chemical properties of saffron and turmeric in a forensic chemistry laboratory. Chem. Educator 2018, 23,143-144.
2017
39. J. C. Gaitor, * L. M. Paul, * M. M. Reardon, * T. Hmissa, * S. Minkowicz, * M. Regner, * Y. Sheng, S. F.
Michael, S. Isern, A. Mirjafari, Ionic liquids with thioether motifs as synthetic cationic lipids for gene delivery. Chem. Commun. 2017, 53, 8328-8331. Cover article candidate.
40. J. T. Reilly, M. A. Coats, * M. M. Reardon, * A. Mirjafari, Study of biocatalytic activity of histidine
ammonia lyase in protic ionic liquids. J. Mol. Liq. 2017, 248, 830-832.
41. S. T. Nestor, * B. Heinrich, R. A. Sykora, X. Zhang, G. J. McManus, L. Douce, A. Mirjafari,
Methimazolium-based ionic liquid crystals: Emergence of mesomorphic properties via a sulfur motif. Tetrahedron 2017, 73, 5456-5460.
42. A.S. Thigpen, * S. T. Nestor, * R. A. O’Brien, S. Minkowicz, * Y. Sheng, J. H. Davis, Jr., K. N. West, A.
Mirjafari, Thioether-functionalized picolinium ionic liquids: Synthesis, physical properties and computational studies. New J. Chem. 2017, 41, 1625-1630.
2016
43. R. A. O’Brien, M. Sanchez Zayas, * S. T. Nestor, * J. C. Gaitor, * R. E. Sykora, L. M. Paul, * F. A.
Edhegard, * S. Minkowicz, * Y. Sheng, S. F. Michael, S. Isern, A. Mirjafari, Biomimetic design of proticlipidic ionic liquids with enhanced fluidity. New J. Chem. 2016, 40, 7795-7803.
44. M. Sanchez Zayas, * S. T. Nestor, * J. C. Gaitor, * M. M. Reardon, * A. Mirjafari, “Click” synthesis of
mercaptosilyl-functionalized ionic liquids via thiol-ene chemistry for use as hydrophobic surface coating agents. ECS Trans. 2016, 75, 191-198. Invited contribution.
45. M. Sanchez Zayas, * J. C. Gaitor, * S. T. Nestor, * S. Minkowicz, * Y. Sheng, A. Mirjafari, Bifunctional
hydrophobic ionic liquids: Facile synthesis by thiol–ene “click” chemistry. Green Chem. 2016, 18, 2443-2452.
46. A. Mirjafari, R.A. O’Brien, J. H. Davis Jr., Synthesis and properties of lipid-inspired ionic liquids. In Ionic Liquids in Lipid Processing and Analysis, X. Xu, Z. Guo, L.-Z. Cheng (Eds.), The American OilChemists’ Society Press, Urbana, IL, 2016, 6, pp 205-223. Invited contribution.
2015
47. B. A. Bruan, * J. L. Bradfield, * C. B. Henderson, * N. Mobarrez, Y. Sheng, R. A. O’Brien, A. C. Stenson, J.H. Davis, Jr., A. Mirjafari, Click chemistry mediated synthesis of bio-inspired phosphonyl-functionalized ionic liquids. Green Chem. 2015, 17, 1259-1268.
48. J. C. Gaitor, * M. Sanchez Zayas, * D. J. Myrthil, * F. White, * J. M. Hendrich,* R. E. Sykora, R. A. O'Brien, J. T. Reilly, A. Mirjafari, Crystal structure of a methimazole-based ionic liquid. Acta Cryst. 2015, E71,o1008-o1009.
2014
49. B. A. Bruan, * J. L. Bradfield, * F. White, * J. Hendrich, * R. E. Sykora, A. Mirjafari, Crystal structure of triphenyl(vinyl)phosphonium tetraphenylborate, Acta Cryst. 2014, E70, o1143.
50. A. Mirjafari, R. A. O’Brien, K. N. West, J. H. Davis, Jr., Synthesis of novel lipid-inspired ionic liquids via thiol-ene chemistry: Profound solvent effect on reaction pathway. Chem. Eur. J. 2014, 20, 7586-7580 (selected as the Hot Topic Paper).
51. J. L. McDonald, * R. E. Sykora, P. Hixon, * A. Mirjafari, J. H. Davis, Jr., Impact of water on CO 2 capture by amino acid ionic liquids. Environ. Chem. Lett. 2014, 12, 201-208.
52. A. Mirjafari, Direct synthesis of 2,4,5-trisubstituted imidazoles from alcohols and α-hydroxyketones by microwave, Environ. Chem. Lett. 2014, 12, 177-183.
53. J. Noei, A. Mirjafari, Ionic liquid-induced conversion of methoxymethyl-protected alcohols into nitriles and iodides using [Hmim][NO3]. Tetrahedron Lett. 2014, 55, 4424-4426.
54. R. A. O’Brien, A. Mirjafari, K. L. Matsson, * S. M. Murray, * N. Mobarrez, **J. H. Davis Jr., K. N. West,
The effect of sulfur position on the melting points of lipidic 1-methyl-3-thiaalkylimidazolium ionic liquids. J. Phys. Chem. B 2014, 118, 10232-10239.
2013
55. R. A. O’Brien, C. W. West, B. E. Hollingsworth, * A.C. Stenson, C. B. Henderson, * A. Mirjafari, N.
Mobarrez, K. N. West, K. L. Matsson, * E. A. Salter, A. Wierzbicki, J. H. Davis Jr., A simple and rapid
route to novel tetra(4-thiaalkyl)ammonium bromides, RSC Adv. 2013, 3, 24612-24617.
56. S. M. Murry, * T. K. Zimlich, * A. Mirjafari, R. A. O’Brien, J. H. Davis Jr., K. N. West, Thermophysical
properties of imidazolium-based lipidic ionic liquids. J. Chem. Eng. Data 2013, 58, 1516-1522.
57. B. Mortazavi, A. Horel, J. S. Anders, A. Mirjafari, M. J. Beazleya, * P. A. Sobeckya, * Enhancing the
biodegradation of oil in sandy sediments with choline: A naturally methylated nitrogen compound. Environ. Pollut. 2013, 182, 53-62.
58. A. Mirjafari, L. Pham, * P. J. Smith, * R. E. Sykora, J. H. Davis Jr., Molecular co-crystal structure of 1,10-phenanthroline with boric acid: novel aza-aromatic complex. Acta Cryst. 2013, E69, o1067–o1068.
59. W. M. Reichert, A. Mirjafari, T. Goode, * N. G. Williams, * M. La, * V. Ho, * M. Yoder, * J. H. Davis, Jr.,
Synthesis of long chain Brønsted acidic ionic liquids, ECS Trans. 2013, 50, 623-630. Invited
contribution.
60. C. G. Cassity, * A. Mirjafari, N. Mobarrez, * K. J. Strickland, * R. A. O’Brien, J. H. Davis, Jr., Ionic liquids of superior thermal stability, Chem. Commun. 2013, 49, 7590-7592. Highlighted in C'EN News, August 12, 2013, Volume 91, p 27, “Ionic Liquids at High Temps”.
61. M. -L. Kwan, A. Mirjafari, J. R. McCabe, * R. A. O’Brien, D. F. Essi IV, * L. Baum, * K. N. West, J. H.
Davis, Jr., Synthesis and thermophysical properties of ionic liquids: cyclopropyl moieties versus olefins as Tm-reducing elements in lipid-inspired ionic liquids. Tetrahedron Lett. 2013, 54, 12-14.
62. A. Mirjafari, L. N. Pham, * J. R. McCabe, N. Mobarrez, E. A. Salter, A. Wierzbicki, K. N. West, R. E.Sykora, J. H. Davis Jr., Building a bridge between aprotic and protic ionic liquids. RSC Adv. 2013, 3, 337-340.
2012
63. A. Mirjafari, R.A. O’Brien, S. M. Murray, * K. L. Matsson, * N. Mobarrez, * K.N. West, J. H. Davis Jr.,
Lipid-inspired ionic liquids containing long-chain appendages: Novel class of biomaterials with attractive properties and applications. ACS Symp. Ser. 2012, 9, pp 199-216; Invited contribution.
64. W. M. Reichert, A. Mirjafari, J. H. Davis, Jr., T. Goode, * N. G. Williams, * V. Ho, * M. Yoder, * M. La, *
Degradation of chitin utilizing acid functionalized ionic liquids technology. ACS Symp. Ser. 2012, 8, pp 189-198. Invited contribution.
65. A. Mirjafari, S. M. Murry, * R. A. O’Brien, A. C. Stenson, K. N. West, J. H. Davis Jr., Structure-based
tuning of Tm in lipid-like ionic liquids. Insights from Tf2N − salts of gene transfection agents. Chem.Commun. 2012, 48, 7522-7524.
66. J. Noei, A.R. Khosropour, A. Mirjafari, The combination of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide andTrichloro(trifluoromethanesulfonato)titanium(IV) as new protocol for the synthesis of aryl nitrile. Bull. Korean Chem. Soc. 2012, 33, 2102-2104.
2011
67. R. A. O’Brien, A. Mirjafari, V. Jajam, * E. N. Capley, * A. C. Stenson, K. N. West, J. H. Davis Jr.,
Functionalized ionic liquids with highly polar polyhydroxylated appendages and their rapid synthesis via thiol-ene click chemistry. Tetrahedron Lett. 2011, 52, 5173-5175.
68. S. C. Dorman, R. A. O’Brien, A. T. Lewis, * E. A. Salter, A. Wierzbicki, P. W. Hixon, * R. E. Sykora, A.
Mirjafari, J. H. Davis Jr., A new building block for electroactive organic materials? Synthesis, cyclic voltammetry, single crystal X-ray structure, and DFT treatment of a unique boron-based viologen. Chem.Commun. 2011, 47, 9072-9074
.
69. A. Mirjafari, N. Mobarrez, * R. A. O’Brien, J. H. Davis, Jr., J. Noei, Microwave-promoted one-pot
conversion of alcohols to oximes using 1-methylimidazolium nitrate, [Hmim][NO3], as a green promoter and medium. C. R. Chimie 2011, 14, 1065-1070.
70. S.Y. Choi, H. Rodríguez, A. Mirjafari, D. F. Gilpin, S. McGrath, K. R. Malcolm, M. M. Tunney, R. D.
Rogers, T. McNally, Dual functional ionic liquids as plasticizers and anti-microbial agents for medical polymers. Green Chem. 2011, 13, 1527-1535.
