Rate My Professor Sasan Karimi

Dr. Sasan Karimi is a Professor in the Chemistry Department at Queensborough Community College (CUNY). He earned his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry in 1991 and M.Phil. in Organic Chemistry in 1991 from The Graduate School of the City University of New York (CUNY), his M.A. in Chemistry in 1984 from City College of New York (CUNY), and his B.S. in Chemistry in 1981 from Long Island University. Karimi joined Queensborough Community College as a full-time faculty member in 1998 and has served as Professor, previously holding the position of Chairperson of the Chemistry Department. He teaches a range of courses, including Chemistry and the Arts (CH 103 and CH 104), General Chemistry I (CH 151), and Organic Chemistry I (CH 251) and II (CH 252).

Karimi's academic interests center on organic synthesis, particularly the total synthesis of sesquiterpenes. His research group has synthesized tricyclic sesquiterpenoid natural products sativene and longifolene via intramolecular cyclization of cis-bromo-decalines, with the protocol applied toward ylangene. Additional focuses include synthesis of linkers and head-groups in dequalinium salts and preparation and reaction of chiral oxycarbanions. Key publications encompass "Thermochromicity in Wool Dyed with 6-Bromoindigo Depends on the Presence and Identity of a Solvent" (Heritage, 2023); "A new synthesis of biologically active pyrroles: Formal synthesis of pentabromopseudilin, bimetopyrol, and several antitubercular agents" (Journal of Heterocyclic Chemistry, 2020); "Substituted pyrrole synthesis from nitrodienes" (Tetrahedron Letters, 2017); "Interplay of Nitrogen-Atom Inversion and Conformational Inversion in Enantiomerization of 1H-1-Benzazepines" (Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2016); "Oxidative ring-contraction of 3H-1-benzazepines to quinoline derivatives" (Tetrahedron Letters, 2015); and "Experimental and Theoretical Studies of a One-Flask Synthesis of 3H-1-Benzazepines from 2-Haloanilines and α,β-Unsaturated Ketones" (European Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2010). Karimi has mentored numerous undergraduate students in research, leading to co-authored publications, conference presentations, and participation in the CUNY Research Scholars Program (CRSP). He has secured PSC-CUNY grants, including for pyrrole synthesis using the Cadogan approach and substituted pyrrole investigations, enhancing undergraduate research opportunities and contributing to advancements in synthetic organic chemistry.