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Department of
Chemistry and Biochemistry

Eric Tillman

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Eric Tillman

Fletcher Jones Professor
Associate Provost for Research

Degree Information

University of Southern California, Ph.D. Chemistry
California Polytechnic State University, B.S. Biochemistry

Recent Grants and Awards
  • "MRI: Acquisition of Gel Permeation Chromatograph with Multiple Detectors to Expand Capabilities for Macromolecular Characterization" $241,000; 2019 [Co-PI with Madalyn Radlauer and Chester Simocko, SJSU]
  • "RUI: Synthesis of Macrocyclic Polymers Using Radical Trap-Assisted Atom Transfer Radical Coupling" $130,000; 2013-2016 [Sole PI]
  • UR grant “Stereoregular Vinyl Polymers Prepared by Low Temperature Controlled Radical Polymerization” $70,000; 2016-2019
  • Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award "Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers" $60,000, 2009-2014
  • Beckman Scholar Award $26,000; 2019-2020
  • Beckman Scholar Award $26,000; 2014-2015
Academic Appointments

Fletcher Jones Professor (Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry), Santa Clara University, 2015-Present
Professor (Department of Chemistry), Bucknell University, 2012-2015
Associate Professor
(Department of Chemistry), Bucknell University, 2008-2012
Assistant Professor  (Department of Chemistry), Bucknell University, 2002-2008

Publications
Recent Publications
*Student co-author

Chong, J. L.*, Burch, A.M.*, Otero, D.M.; Tillman, E.S., Room Temperature Nickel-catalyzed Reductive Coupling of End-brominated Polystyrene Chains. Journal of Polymer Science Part A, Polymer Chemistry 2024, 62(1), 146.

Basler, E. D.*, Chong, J. L.*, Heath, C. M.*, Ching, K. S.*, Jennett, S. T.*, Tillman, E.S., Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Homodimerization of Brominated Polystyrene Chains. Macromol. Chem. Phys. 2022, 2200320.

​​Andry, J.J.*; Lee, J.L.*; Wu, J.P.*; Xia, K.*; Tillman, E.S. “Universal Chain-End Coupling Conditions for Polystyrene, Polyacrylate, and Polymethacrylate RadicalsProcesses 2021, 9, 1001

Xia, K.*; Rubaie, A.J.*; Johnson, B.P.*; Tillman, E.S. “Greener Coupling of Poly(methyl methacrylate) and Poly(methyl acrylate) Chains Using Activators Generated by Electron Transfer and Radical Traps” Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 2020, provisionally accepted.

Ching, M.E.*; Lee, J.J.*; Wu, J.P.*; Tillman, E.S. "Atom Transfer Coupling Reactions Performed with Benign Reducing Agents and Radical Traps" 2019 Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics, submitted.

Xia, K.*; Rubaie, A.J.*; Johnson, B.P.*; Parker, S.A.*; Tillman, E.S. "Atom Transfer Coupling Reactions Performed with Benign Reducing Agents and Radical Traps" 2019 Journal of Polymer Science Part A, Polymer Chemistry, published online DOI: 10.1002/pola.29482

Heiler, K.E.*; Pan, C.W.*; Heiler, A.J.*; Wu, J.P.*; Tillman, E.S. “Synthesis of Nitroxide End-Labeled Polymers By Capturing Polystyrene Radicals with Spin Traps” Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 2018 1800171

Pan, C.*; Xia, K.*; Parker, S.A.*; Tillman, E.S. “Identity of Low Molecular Weight Species Formed in End-to-End Cyclization Reactions Performed in THF” 2018 Polymers, 10, 844.

Pan, C.W.*; Tillman, E.S. “Accurately Determining the Extent of Coupling in Post-Polymerization Reactions of Polystyrene” Polymers 2018, 10(1), 80.

Wu, J.P.*; Pan, C.W.*; Heiler, K.E.*; Ching, M.E.; Tillman, E.S. “Altering the Effectiveness of Radical Traps in Atom Transfer Radical Coupling Reactions of Polymer Chains” Polymer 2017127, 66-76.

Arce, M.M.; Pan, C.W.; Thursby, M.M.; Wu, J.P.; Carnicom,E.M.; Tillman, E.S. “Influence of Solvent on Radical Trap Assisted Dimerization and Cyclization of Polystyrene Radicals” Macromolecules 2016, 49, 7804-7813.

McFadden, B.; Arce, M.M.; Abruzzese, J.; Herman, J.; Carnicom, E.M.; Tillman, E.S. “Radical Trap-Assisted Atom Transfer Radical Coupling of Diblock Copolymers as a Method of Forming Triblock Copolymers” Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 2016, 217, 2473-2482

Blackburn, S.C.; Myers, K.D.; Tillman, E.S. “Macrocyclic Poly(methyl acrylate) and Macrocyclic Poly(methyl acrylate-block-styrene) Synthesized by Radical Trap-assisted Atom Transfer Radical Coupling” Polymer 2015, 216, 1282-1290.

Blackburn, S.C.; Tillman, E.S. “Synthesis of Cyclic Poly(methyl methacrylate) Directly from Dihalogenated Precursors” Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 2015, 68, 284-292. 

Carnicom, E.M.; Abruzzese, J.A.; Sidebe, Y.; Myers, K.D.; Tillman, E.S. “Effect of Trapping Agent and Polystyrene Chain End Functionality on Radical Trap-Assisted Atom Transfer Radical Coupling” Polymers 2014, 6, 2737-2751.

Valente, C.J.; Schellenberger, A.M.; Tillman, E.S. “Dimerization of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Chains Using Radical Trap-Assisted Atom Transfer Radical Coupling” Macromolecules 2014, 47, 2226-2232

Carnicom, E.M.; Tillman, E.S. “Polymerization of Styrene and Cyclization to Macrocyclic Polystyrene in a One-pot, Two-Step Sequence” Reactive and Functional Polymers 2014, 80, 9-14.