Student research

Students participating in the  research projects: (i) gain skills in basic organic and inorganic synthesis, common spectral (UV-Vis-NIR, NMR, FT-IR) and electrochemical measurements, crystallization and X-ray structural analysis of solid-state materials; (ii) learn modern quantum-mechanical computations, (iii)   enhance knowledge of chemical bonding, thermodynamics, kinetics and reaction mechanism, (iv) get experience in scientific literature analysis, data evaluation, reports and manuscripts preparation. About 70% of the undergraduate students and all graduate students become co-authors of the articles published in respected chemical journals and almost all students present their results at various scientific conferences. 

“…working in your lab, as well as your letter of recommendation, was instrumental in my decision to go to Grad school and my admittance to Northwestern.”  Jeremy Ritzert (admitted to Driskill Graduate Program in Life Sciences at Northwestern University)

Students interested in undergraduate or graduate research should contact Sergiy Rosokha by e-mail: svrosokha@bsu.edu 

Professor Rosokha’s Research Group

Nichole Strasser (Fall 2025 - current)   

Yohan Shin (Summer  2025 - current)

Jun You  (Spring 2025- current)

MD Mahi Sarker (Spring 2025- current)

Isaac Sarfo (Spring 2025- current)

Sarah Glunt (Spring 2025- current)

Alexey Shinkevich (Summer 2025)

Maison Hardin ( Spring 2024- Spring 2025)

Burnell Amanda ( Spring 2024- Summer 2025)

Cayden Howard (Fall 2023 - Spring 2024)  

Erin Hansen (Fall 2023 - Spring 2024)

Reva Patil (Summer 2023 - Spring 2025)

Sneha Muthuramesh (Summer 2023)

Aaron Hurst (Fall 2022-Sring 2023)

Alex Kesner (Fall 2022-Spring 2023)

Favour Odubo (Fall 2022- Summer 2024)

Emmanuel  Bitega (Fall 2022- Summer 2024)

Emmanuel Adeniyi  (Spring 2022-Summer 2023)

Lauryn Snowden (Summer 2022)

Farial Zafar (Spring 2021 - Summer2021)

Zach Stephens (Spring 2021 - Spring2022)

Devin Howe (Spring 2021 - Spring2022)

Levi Dumpert (Spring 2021 -Summer2022)

Ryan Watts (Spring 2020 - Spring 2022)

Cody Loy (Fall 2019 - Spring 2021)

Joshua Wilson (Summer 2019 - Spring 2021) 

Tristan Maxson (Fall 2019)

Blake Reardon (Summer 2019)

Isabelle Wright (Summer 2019)

John Brown (Summer 2018 – Spring 2020)

Kelsy Auker (Spring 2018 – Fall 2019)

Jessalyn Nicholas (Spring 2018 – Summer 2018) 

Slade Kepler   (Spring 2018 – Spring 2019)

Spencer Deats (Spring 2018 - Spring 2020) 

Alex Sons (Fall 2017) 

William Borley (Fall 2017 – Fall 2020)

Winner of 2019 awards at Chemistry Department Excellence in Graduate Research, Slade Kepler  (left),  Outstanding Performance by a Pre-Professional Chemist, Brandon Watson (center)   and Excellence in Undergraduate Research,  Olivia Grounds (center)

Jon Hager (Spring 17- Spring 2018)

Craig Weinberger (Fall 16- Spring 2018)

Brandon Watson (Fall 16 - Spring 2019)

Olivia Grounds (Fall 16 - Spring2021)

Rachel Hines (Fall 16 - Summer 2017)

Summer 2015: (sitting, right to left) Urszula, Maria, Shubhangi, Amar, (standing) Emoke, Eric

Amar Kumar (Spring 15 – Fall 15)

Eric Loboda (Summer 13 – Summer 15)

Urszula Juszkiewicz (Fall 14 -Summer 15)

Emoke Lukacs (Spring 15 – Summer 15)

Maria Sholola (Summer 15)

Shubhangi Joshi (Summer 15, High School Student)

Mikhail Amshei (Fall 14)

Summer 2013: (right to left) Mike, Rory, Alfredo, Jeremy, Eric

Adam Wasilewski (Summer 14)

Nicholas Kurek (Summer 14)

Alfredo Traversa (Spring 13 – Summer 14)

Mike Vinakos (Fall 11 – Fall 13)

Jeremy  Ritzert (Summer 11 –  Summer 13)

Rory Stewart (Spring 12 – Summer13)

Songting Xu (Spring 13)

Summer 2012: (right to left) Candace, Rory, Jeremy, Alan, Mike

Alan Swartz (Spring 12 – Fall 12)

William Yang (Fall 2012)

Candace Murphy (Spring 12 – Fall 12)

Thanh Thao Bui (Summer 2011 – Spring 12)

Monica Timmerman (Fall 2011, Spring 12)

Orlando Lagunas (Summer 2011)

Teaqua Henderson (Spring 2011)

Veronica Padharia (Summer 2010, Fall 2010)

Kristen Roche(Summer 2010, Fall 2010)

Joe Reibel (Summer 2010)

Shasia Sarwar (Summer 2010)

Recent publications with student co-authors.

 ¶Student co-author (underlined).

• Sarker, MD M.;  Zeller, M.; Rosokha S.V.* Nature and Spectroscopic Implications of Halogen vs π−π Stacked Charge-Transfer Bonding between p-Phenylenediamine and Iodobenzene Derivatives, Journal of molecular structure, 2026, 1351P1, 1442204. 

• Adeniyi,  M., Rosokha, S. V.* Strength, nature and spectral implications of the s-n and s-p halogen bodning between diiodine and aromatic amines: A computational study. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2025, 27, 21030-21040 .  

•  Sarfo, I.; Zeller, M.; Rosokha S.V.* Cocrystallization of aromatic (di)amines with nitrobenzene acceptors leading to the charge-transfer assemblies with extended near-infrared absorption. Cryst. Growth Des. 2025, 25, 4636−4645.

• Burnell, A.; Hardin, M.; Zeller, M.; Rosokha S.V.* Charge-transfer adducts vs iodine(I) complexes: dual role of halogen bonding in reactions of diiodine with N-donor bases, ChemPhysChem, 2025, 26, e202500076 DOI: cphc.202500076

•  Hardin, M.; Zeller, M.; Rosokha S.V.* Halogen bonding and rearrangements in complexes of N-chlorosuccinimide with halides, Molecules, 2025, 30, 639.

• Hardin, M.; Zeller, M.; Rosokha S.V.* Complexes of N-chloroquinuclidinium with chloride: strong halogen bonding via chlorine atoms. CrystEngComm, 2024, 26, 6784. 

•  Butega, E., Patil, R.; Zeller, M.; Rosokha, S. V.* Charge-assisted anion-π interaction and hydrogen bonding involving alkylpyridinium cations ACS Omega, 2024, 9, 43058

• Odubo, F.; Muthuramesh, S.; Zeller, M.; Rosokha S.V.* Anion-π interaction with alkenes: persistent complexes vs irreversible reactions of anions with tetracyanoethylene Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2024, 26, 21030. 

• Nizhnik, YP.; Hansen, E.; Howard, C,; Zeller, M.; Rosokha S,V.; Complexes of Zinc-Coordinated Heteroaromatic N-Oxides with Pyrene: Lewis Acid Effects on the Multicenter Donor-Acceptor Bonding. Molecules, 2024, 29, 3305.

•  Grounds, O.; Zeller, M.; Rosokha, S. V.* Halogen bonding versus nucleophilic substitution in the co-crystallization of halomethanes and amines. Crystals 2024, 14, 124

•  Adeniyi, E; Odubo, F; Zeller, M.; Torubaev, Y.; Rosokha, S. V.* Halogen bonding and/or covalent bond: analogy of 3c-4e N···I···X (X = Cl, Br, I, N) interactions in neutral, cationic, and anionic complexes. Inorganic  Chemistry, 2023, 62, 44, 18239-18247.

  • Odubo, F. E.; Zeller, M.; Rosokha, S. V. Exploring the Nature of Anion-p Interactions: Complexes of p-Acceptors with Fluoro- or Oxoanions Compared to the Associations with Halides. J. Phys. Chem. A 2023, 127 (28), 5851–5859 

  • Adeniyi, E. ; Grounds, O.; Stephens, Z.;  Zeller, M.  Rosokha, S.V.*  Thermodynamics and spectroscopy of halogen- and hydrogen-bonded complexes of haloforms with aromatic and aliphatic amines. Molecules, 2022, 27, 6124. 

  • Howe, D.; Wilson, J.; Rosokha, S.V.* Solvent and ionic atmosphere effects in anion-p interactions: complexes of halide anions with p-benzoquinones. Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2022, 126, 42554263. 

  •  Brown, J.T.;¶  Grounds, O.;¶  Zeller, M.; Dilley, N.G.; Rosokha S.V. Structures, Multicenter π-Bonding, and Spin Equilibria in the Mixed-Valence Trimers of Tetramethyltetrathiafulvalene Cation-Radicals. Cryst. Growth Des. 2021, 21, 12, 7257–7268

  •  Miller, D.K.; Loy, C.;¶ Rosokha, S.V.*;  Examining a Transition from Supramolecular Halogen Bonding to Covalent Bonds: Topological Analysis of Electron Densities and Energies in the Complexes of Bromosubstituted Electrophiles. ACS Omega, 2021, 6 (36), 235888-23597.

  • Loy,  C.;¶ Holthoff, J.M.; Weiss, R.;  Huber, S. M.; Rosokha, S.V.;  Anti-electrostatic” halogen bonding in solution,  Chemical Science, 2021, 12, 8246-8251. 

  • Loy, C.;¶ Zeller, M.; Rosokha S.V. Halogen Bonding in the Complexes of Brominated Electrophiles with Chloride Anions: From a Weak Supramolecular Interaction to a Covalent Br–Cl Bond. Crystals,  2020, 10, 1075.

  • Brown, J.;¶ Zeller, M.; Rosokha S.V. Effects of structural variations on p-dimer  formation: long-distance multicenter bonding of cation-radicals of tetrathiafulvalene analogues Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2020, 22,  25054-25065.

  • Maxson, T.;¶  Jalilov, A. S;  Zeller, M.; Rosokha, S.V.*  Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2020, 59, 17197-17201.

  • Wilson, J.;¶ Wright, I.;¶ Maxson, T.;¶ Zeller, M.; Rosokha, S.V.*  Dalton Transactions,  2020, 49, 8734 -.8743.

  • Jalilov, A. S;  Spencer, D.; ¶ Albukhari, M.;  Zeller, M.; Rosokha, S.V.*  ChemPlusChem 2020, 85, 441 - 449. 

  • Nayak, S.K.; Terraneo, G.; Piacevoli, Q.; Bertolotti, F.; Scilabra,P.; Brown, J.T.; Rosokha, S.V.;* Resnati, G.* Molecular bases for anesthesia: Halothane as a halogen and hydrogen bonds donor. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2019, 58, 12456 – 12459.

  • Kepler, S.;  Zeller, M.; Rosokha, S.V.;* Anion−π Complexes of Halides with p‑Benzoquinones: Structures, Thermodynamics, and Criteria of Charge Transfer to Electron Transfer Transition Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2019, 141, 9338 - 9348.

  • Borley, W.; Watson, B.; Nizhnik, Y.; Zeller, M.; Rosokha, S.V.;* Complexes of diiodine with heteroaromatic N-oxides: effects of halogen-bond acceptors in halogen bonding. J. Phys. Chem. A, 2019, 123, 7113-7123.

  • Watson, B.;¶ Grounds, O.;¶ Borley, W.;¶ Rosokha, S.V.;* Resolving halogen vs hydrogen bonding dichotomy in solutions: Intermolecular complexes of trihalomethanes with halide and pseudohalide anions. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2018, 20, 21999 - 22007.

  • Weinberger, C.;¶ Hines, R.;¶ Zeller, M.; Rosokha, S.V.;* Continuum of covalent to intermolecular bonding in the halogen-bonded complexes of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane with bromine-containing electrophiles Chemical Communications, 2018, 54, 8060 – 8063.

  • Grounds, O.;¶ Zeller, M.; Rosokha, S.V.;* Structural preferences in strong anion-p and halogen-bonded complexes: p- and s-holes vs frontier orbitals interaction. New Journal of Chemistry, 2018, 42, 10572-10583.

  • Nizhnik, Y.P.; Sons, A.;¶ Zeller, M.; Rosokha, S.V.* Effect of supramolecular architecture on halogen bonding between diiodine and heteroaromatic N-oxides Crystal Growth & Design, 2018, 18, 1198-1207.

  • Rosokha, S.V.;* Kumar, A.¶ Anion-π interaction in metal-organic networks formed by metal halides and tetracyanopyrazine. Journal of Molecular Structure, 2017, 1138, 129-135.

  • Rosokha, S. V.;* Vinakos, M.¶ From single-point to three-point halogen bonding between zinc(ii) tetrathiocyanate and tetrabromomethane. CrystEngComm, 2016, 18, 488-495.

  • Rosokha, S.V.;* Lukacs, E.;¶ Ritzert, J.;¶ Wasilewski, A.¶ Mechanism and Thermodynamics of Reductive Cleavage of Carbon-Halogen Bonds in the Polybrominated Aliphatic Electrophiles. Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2016, 120(10), 1706-171.

Recent students’ presentations 

• Maison Hardin, Dr. Sergiy Rosokha. Strong Charge-Assisted Two- and Three-Centered Halogen Bonding via Chlorine Atom.

ACS Spring 2025, San Diego, CA, March 24, 2025

• Maison Hardin, Amanda Burnell, Dr. Sergiy Rosokha. Photoelectron transfer in halogen-bonded complexes of bromosubstituted electrophiles with halide anions. ACS Central Regional Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, November 8, 2024

• Adeniyi, E., Rosokha, S. V. “Differentiating halogen and hydrogen-bonded complexes of haloform with aliphatic and aromatic amines” ACS Spring 2023 National Meeting & Expo, Indianapolis, IN, US, Mar 26–30, 2023.

• Odubo, F., Rosokha, S. V. Self-assembly of p-benzoquinones with fluoro- and oxoanions via anion-pi bonding in solutions and solid state. ACS Spring 2023 National Meeting & Expo, Indianapolis, IN, US, Mar 26–30, 2023.

• Adeniyi, E., Rosokha, S. V. Thermodynamics and Spectroscopy of Halogen- and Hydrogen- Bonded Complexes of Haloforms with Aliphatic and Aromatic Amines, 23rd Chemistry Graduate Research Symposium, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States, October 8th, 2022.

• ,Borley, W.; Grounds, O.; Rosokha, S. V. Intermolecular interactions of electrophilic halomethanes with halide anions: Halogen vs hydrogen bonding. 261st ACS National Meeting, April 5-16, 2021, Poster Presentation.

• O. Grounds, S. Rosokha  Determining polarization's role in halogen bonding (NORM 2021). 2021 Northwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, May 9-11, 2021 (Virtual) Poster Presentation.1.      

•  T. Maxson,# S. Rosokha  Polarization-Induced Anion-Anion Halogen Bonding of Tetraiodo-p-benzoquinone Anion Radicals with Iodide Anions  IXSB-4: 4th   International Symposium on Halogen Bonding IXSB-4. 2-5 November 2020 Stellenbosch, South Africa (Virtual), Poster Presentation

• Grounds, O.; Auker, K.; Rosokha, S.V.  Evaluating the role of polarization in halogen bonding 258th Annual National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, San Diego, CA, August 25 – 29,   2019. (Poster presentation)

•  Brown, J.; Rosokha, S.V. Spectral, structural, and thermodynamic characteristics of π-bonded dimers between cation-radicals of tetrathiafulvalene derivatives 258th Annual National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, San Diego, CA, August 25 – 29  2019.(Poster presentation).

• Kepler, S; Zeller, M.; Rosokha S. Spectra, structures, and thermodynamics of anion-π complexes of p-benzoquinones with halide anions 257th Annual National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Orlando, Fl, March 31 – April 4 , 2019.(Poster presentation).

•  Watson B.; Borley, W.; Nizhnik, Y.; Zeller, M.; Rosokha, S. Halogen bonds strength in complexes of diiodine with heteroaromatic N-oxides  257th Annual National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Orlando, Fl, March 31 – April 4 , 2019.(Poster presentation).

• Watson, B.,# Grounds, O.,# and Rosokha, S. V. Effects of Stoichiometry and Electron Donor Strengths on Halogen Bonding between Diiodine and Heteroaromatic N-oxides. 3rd International Symposium for Halogen Bonding. ISXB-3. Greenville, SC, June 12, 2018 (Poster presentation).

• Grounds, O.,#Rosokha, S. V. Unusual structural features of halogen bonded and anion π complexes, 255th Annual National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, New Orleans, LA, March 18-22, 2018.(Poster presentation).

• Grounds, O.,# Watson, B., # Borley, W.,# Rosokha, S. V. Characterization of Halogen and Hydrogen-Bonded Complexes of Iodoform and Bromoform with (Pseudo-) Halide Anions. 3rd International Symposium for Halogen Bonding. ISXB-3. Greenville, SC, June 12, 2018.(Poster presentation).

• Watson, B.,# Grounds, O.,# and Rosokha, S. V. Halogen to hydrogen bonding switch in complexes of iodo-, bromo-, and chloroform with anionic and neutral nucleophiles. American Chemical Society. 255th Annual National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, New Orleans, LA, March 18-22, 2018.(Oral presentation).