Professor Wilcox began his independent academic research and teaching career in 1981. In 2016 he retired from teaching and directing research in the field of organic chemistry; he no longer accepts students, post-docs, or faculty members for research training in his laboratory.
Professor Wilcox served as chair of the Chemistry Department from 1997 to 2002. From 2017 to 2024 he served as the University Research Integrity Officer and head of the Research Integrity Division. He was a member of the University’s Conflict of Interest Committee (COIC) for over 20 years, and chaired the COIC from 2017 to 2024. As of 2025, he continues to contribute to the administration of the Office of Research Protections.
Not accepting graduate students.
Research Interest Areas: Organic Chemistry; Tröger’s Base; Synthetic Receptors and Host-Guest Chemistry; Radical Cyclization of Carbohydrates; Ion Pair Catalysis; The Molecular Torsion Balance; Precipitons
- [Representative past professional services are also included here.]
- Plenary Lecture, “Modern Aspects of Tröger’s Base Chemistry”, University of Leipzig; 2012
- Plenary Lecture, “Symposium on Synthetic Receptors”, Lund University/Swedish Chemical Society/Royal Swedish Acad. of Sciences, Lund, Sweden; 2005
- Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Senior Scholar Award, University of Pittsburgh; 2003
- Organizing Committee, Pennsylvania Nanotechnology Initiative; 2002
- Core Faculty Member, NIMH Workshops on Professional Survival Skills and Ethics – Topic: Research Management and Mentorship; 2001-2012
- Chairman, Department of Chemistry – University of Pittsburgh; 1997-2002
- Co-Chair, Gordon Research Conference on Bioorganic Chemistry; 1996
- Co-organizer, NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Bioorganic Catalysis; 1995
- Monbusho Fellowship, Japan Ministry of Science, Education, and Culture; 1995
- Votocek Lecture, Prague Institute of Chemical Technology; 1995
- Fellow of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; 1988-1992
- Co-Chair, NSF Workshop on Natural Products and Synthetic Chem.; 1986-1988
Awards
Recent Publications
“Synthesis and NMR analysis of a conformationally controlled β-turn mimetic torsion balance,” A.B. Lyson and C.S. Wilcox J. Org. Chem. 2017, 82, 898-909
“Synthesis of Dibenzazepinones by Palladium-Catalyzed Intramolecular Arylation of o-(2'-Bromophenyl)anilide Enolates,” X. Pan, C.S. Wicox J. Org. Chem. 2010, 75, 6445-6451
“Benzil-tethered precipitons for controlling solubility: A round-trip energy-transfer mechanism in the isomerization of extended stilbene analogues,” M.R. Ams, C.S. Wilcox J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 3966-3972
“A Minimal Protein Folding Model to Measure Hydrophobic and CH/Π Effects On Nonpolar Surface Interactions in Water,” B. Bhayana, C.S. Wilcox Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 6833-6836
“Chemical Partitioning Agents and Methods of Using Same,” C.S. Wilcox, S. Paliwal U.S. Patent No. 2004, 6 706, 839
“A Photoactivated Precipiton for Reagent Sequestration in Solution-Phase Synthesis,” T. Bosanac, C.S. Wilcox Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 4194-4195
“Precipitons -- Functional Protecting Groups to Facilitate Product Separation: Applications in Isoxazoline Synthesis,” T. Bosanac, J. Yang, C.S. Wilcox Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2001, 40, 1875-1879
“Measurements of Molecular Electrostatic Field Effects in Edge-to-Face Aromatic Interactions and CH-Pi Interactions with Implications for Protein Folding and Molecular Recognition,” C.S. Wilcox, S. Paliwal, E. Kim J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 1998, 120, 11192-11193
“A Molecular Torsion Balance for Weak Molecular Forces. Effects of Tilted-T Edge-to-Face Aromatic Interactions on Conformational Selection and Solid State Structure,” S. Paliwal, S. Geib, and C.S. Wilcox J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 1994, 116, 4497-4498
“Substrate Specific Catalysis by Ion Pairs,” P.J. Smith, E. Kim, and C.S. Wilcox Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1993, 32, 1648-1650
“Improved Synthesis of Symmetrical and Unsymmetrical 5,11-Methano-[b,f][1,5]dibenzodiazocines - Readily Available Nanoscale Structural Units,” T. H. Webb and C. S. Wilcox J. Org. Chem. 1990, 54, 363-366
“An Approach to Lipophilic Nucleotide Phosphate Analogs. Synthesis of a Lipophilic Isostere of ATP,” R.M. Otoski and C.S. Wilcox Tetrahedron Lett. 1988, 2615-2618
“Chemistry of F1,F0-ATPase Inhibitors. Stereoselective Total Syntheses of (+)-Citreoviral and (-)-Citreoviridin,” H. Suh and C.S. Wilcox J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 1988, 110, 470-481
“New Approaches to Enzyme Regulators. Synthesis and Enzymological Activity of Carbocyclic Analogs of D-Fructofuranose and D-Fructofuranose-6-phosphate,” C.S. Wilcox and J. J. Gaudino J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 1988, 108, 3102-3104
“Tröger's Base Analogues. New Structural Units for the Preparation of Chiral Hosts and Metal Ligands,” C.S. Wilcox Tetrahedron Lett. 1985, 5749
“New Syntheses of Carbocycles from Carbohydrates. Cyclization of Radicals Derived from Unsaturated Halo-Sugars,” C.S. Wilcox and L.M. Thomasco J. Org. Chem. 1985, 50, 546
