Staff profile

Research Interests

The McGonigal Group develops functional organic materials by exploiting our expertise in stabilized, highly substituted aromatic carbocations. Students in the group are exposed to a wide range of techniques in organic synthesis, advanced spectroscopy, organometallics, electrochemistry, and DFT modeling.

For up-to-date news, visit the McGonigal Group webpage

• Organic Chemistry
• Supramolecular Chemistry

• 2022: Harrison-Meldola Memorial Medal:
• 2018: Molecules Young Investigator Award:

Journal Article

• Counterion-Mediated Luminophore Dimerization
  
  Carter, A. G., Saha, P. K., Sikder, A., Aguilar, J. A., Monkman, A. P., Avestro, A., Etherington, M. K., & McGonigal, P. R. (2025). Counterion-Mediated Luminophore Dimerization. Angewandte Chemie. Advance online publication, Article e202505433. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202505433
• Counterion‐Mediated Luminophore Dimerization
  
  Carter, A. G., Saha, P. K., Sikder, A., Aguilar, J. A., Monkman, A. P., Avestro, A., Etherington, M. K., & McGonigal, P. R. (2025). Counterion‐Mediated Luminophore Dimerization. Angewandte Chemie, e202505433. https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.202505433
• Correlated shapeshifting and configurational isomerization †
  
  Maturi, W., Hussein, B. A., Rylands, M. K., Bismillah, A. N., Wen, Y., Aguilar, J. A., Ayub, R., Rankine, C. D., & McGonigal, P. R. (2024). Correlated shapeshifting and configurational isomerization †. Chemical Science, 15(36), 14618-14624. https://doi.org/10.1039/d4sc03699a
• A guide to bullvalene stereodynamics †
  
  Ives, R. A., Maturi, W., Gill, M. T., Rankine, C., & McGonigal, P. R. (2024). A guide to bullvalene stereodynamics †. Chemical Science, 15(36), 14608-14617. https://doi.org/10.1039/d4sc03700f
• Control of Dynamic sp3-C Stereochemistry
  
  Bismillah, A., Johnson, T., Hussein, B., Turley, A., Saha, P., Wong, H., Aguilar, J., Yufit, D., & McGonigal, P. (2023). Control of Dynamic sp3-C Stereochemistry. Nature Chemistry, 15(5), 615-624. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-023-01156-7
• Rupturing aromaticity by periphery overcrowding
  
  Saha, P. K., Mallick, A., Turley, A. T., Bismillah, A. N., Danos, A., Monkman, A. P., Avestro, A., Yufit, D. S., & McGonigal, P. R. (2023). Rupturing aromaticity by periphery overcrowding. Nature Chemistry, 15(4), 516-525. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-023-01149-6
• From Phosphorescence to Delayed Fluorescence in One Step: Tuning Photophysical Properties by Quaternisation of an sp2-Hybridised Nitrogen Atom
  
  Klimash, A., Prlj, A., Yufit, D., Mallick, A., Curchod, B., McGonigal, P., Skabara, P., & Etherington, M. (2022). From Phosphorescence to Delayed Fluorescence in One Step: Tuning Photophysical Properties by Quaternisation of an sp2-Hybridised Nitrogen Atom. Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 10(25), 9484-9491. https://doi.org/10.1039/d2tc01737g
• Extended Conjugation Attenuates the Quenching of Aggregation-Induced Emitters by Photocyclization Pathways
  
  Turley, A., Saha, P., Danos, A., Bismillah, A., Monkman, A., Yufit, D., Curchod, B., Etherington., M., & McGonigal, P. (2022). Extended Conjugation Attenuates the Quenching of Aggregation-Induced Emitters by Photocyclization Pathways. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 61(24), Article e202202193. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202202193
• Supramolecular Repair of Hydration Lubrication Surfaces
  
  Wang, Y., Sun, Y., Avestro, A., McGonigal, P., & Zhang, H. (2022). Supramolecular Repair of Hydration Lubrication Surfaces. Chem, 8(2), 480-493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2021.11.001
• Suppressing Dimer Formation by Increasing Conformational Freedom in Multi-Carbazole Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitters
  
  Salah, L., Etherington, M., Shuaib, A., Danos, A., Nazeer, A., Ghazal, B., Prlj, A., Turley, A., Mallick, A., McGonigal, P., Curchod, B., Monkman, A., & Makhseed, S. (2021). Suppressing Dimer Formation by Increasing Conformational Freedom in Multi-Carbazole Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitters. Journal of Materials Chemistry C Materials for Optical and Electronic Devices, 9(1), 189-198. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0tc04222f
• Aggregate Science: From Structures to Properties
  
  Zhang, H., Zhao, Z., Turley, A. T., Wang, L., McGonigal, P. R., Tu, Y., Li, Y., Wang, Z., Kwok, R. T., Lam, J. W., & Tang, B. Z. (2020). Aggregate Science: From Structures to Properties. Advanced Materials, 32(36), Article 2001457. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202001457
• Modulation of Charge Transfer by N-Alkylation to Control Photoluminescence Energy and Quantum Yield
  
  Turley, A., Danos, A., Prlj, A., Monkman, A., Curchod, B., McGonigal, P., & Etherington, M. (2020). Modulation of Charge Transfer by N-Alkylation to Control Photoluminescence Energy and Quantum Yield. Chemical Science, 11(27), 6990-6995. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0sc02460k
• Non-equilibrium thermodynamics and kinetics of synthetic molecular pumps
  
  Astumian, R., Pezzato, C., Feng, Y., Qiu, Y., McGonigal, P., Cheng, C., & Stoddart, J. (2020). Non-equilibrium thermodynamics and kinetics of synthetic molecular pumps. Materials Chemistry Frontiers, 4(5), 1304-1314. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0qm00022a
• Clusterization-triggered emission: Uncommon luminescence from common materials
  
  Zhang, H., Zhao, Z., McGonigal, P. R., Ye, R., Liu, S., Lam, J. W., Kwok, R. T., Yuan, W. Z., Xie, J., Rogach, A. L., & Tang, B. Z. (2020). Clusterization-triggered emission: Uncommon luminescence from common materials. Materials Today, 32, 275-292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mattod.2019.08.010
• Shapeshifting molecules: The story so far and the shape of things to come
  
  Bismillah, A., Chapin, B., Hussein, B., & McGonigal, P. (2020). Shapeshifting molecules: The story so far and the shape of things to come. Chemical Science, 11(2), 324-332. https://doi.org/10.1039/c9sc05482k
• Control of Porphyrin Planarity and Aggregation by Covalent Capping: Bissilyloxy Porphyrin Silanes
  
  Hussein, B., Shakeel, Z., Turley, A., Bismillah, A., Wolfstadt, K., Pia, J., Pilkington, M., McGonigal, P., & Adler, M. (2020). Control of Porphyrin Planarity and Aggregation by Covalent Capping: Bissilyloxy Porphyrin Silanes. Inorganic Chemistry, 59(18), 13533-13541. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c01891
• Revealing Resonance Effects and Intramolecular Dipole Interactions in the Positional Isomers of Benzonitrile-Core Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Materials
  
  Kukhta, N., Higginbotham, H., Matulaitis, T., Danos, A., Bismillah, A., Haase, N., Etherington, M., Yufit, D., McGonigal, P., Gražulevičius, J., & Monkman, A. (2019). Revealing Resonance Effects and Intramolecular Dipole Interactions in the Positional Isomers of Benzonitrile-Core Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Materials. Journal of Materials Chemistry C Materials for Optical and Electronic Devices, 7(30), 9184-9194. https://doi.org/10.1039/c9tc02742d
• Persistent Dimer Emission in Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Materials
  
  Etherington, M. K., Kukhta, N. A., Higginbotham, H. F., Danos, A., Bismillah, A. N., Graves, D. R., McGonigal, P. R., Haase, N., Morherr, A., Batsanov, A. S., Pflumm, C., Bhalla, V., Bryce, M. R., & Monkman, A. P. (2019). Persistent Dimer Emission in Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Materials. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 123(17), 11109-11117. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b01458
• Shape-Selective Crystallisation of Fluxional Carbon Cages
  
  Bismillah, A., Sturala, J., Chapin, B., Yufit, D., Hodgkinson, P., & McGonigal, P. (2018). Shape-Selective Crystallisation of Fluxional Carbon Cages. Chemical Science, 9(46), 8631-8636. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8sc04303e
• Long Starphene Single Molecule NOR Boolean Logic Gate
  
  Soe, W., Manzano, C., de Mendoza, P., McGonigal, P., Echavarren, A., & Joachim, C. (2018). Long Starphene Single Molecule NOR Boolean Logic Gate. Surface Science, 678, 163-168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susc.2018.04.020
• Multiply Threaded Rotaxanes
  
  McGonigal, P. (2018). Multiply Threaded Rotaxanes. Supramolecular Chemistry, 30(9), 782-794. https://doi.org/10.1080/10610278.2018.1433832
• Excited-State Aromatic Interactions in the Aggregation-Induced Emission of Molecular Rotors
  
  Sturala, J., Etherington, M. K., Bismillah, A. N., Higginbotham, H. F., Trewby, W. J., Aguilar, J. A., Bromley, E. H., Avestro, A., Monkman, A. P., & McGonigal, P. R. (2017). Excited-State Aromatic Interactions in the Aggregation-Induced Emission of Molecular Rotors. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 139(49), 17882-17889. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.7b08570
• Triply Threaded [4]Rotaxanes
  
  Danon, J., Leigh, D., McGonigal, P., Ward, J., & Wu, J. (2016). Triply Threaded [4]Rotaxanes. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 138(38), 12643-12647. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.6b07733
• Hydroacenes made easy by gold(I) catalysis
  
  Dorel, R., McGonigal, P., & Echavarren, A. (2016). Hydroacenes made easy by gold(I) catalysis. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 55(37), 11120-11123. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201604952
• Influence of constitution and charge on radical pairing interactions in tris-radical tricationic complexes
  
  Cheng, C., Cheng, T., Xiao, H., Krzyaniak, M., Wang, Y., McGonigal, P., Frasconi, M., Barnes, J., Fahrenbach, A., Wasielewski, M., Goddard, W., & Stoddart, J. (2016). Influence of constitution and charge on radical pairing interactions in tris-radical tricationic complexes. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 138(26), 8288-8300. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.6b04343
• Design and Synthesis of Nonequilibrium Systems
  
  Cheng, C., McGonigal, P., Stoddart, J., & Astumian, R. (2015). Design and Synthesis of Nonequilibrium Systems. ACS Nano, 9(9), 8672-8688. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.5b03809
• Electrochemically addressable trisradical rotaxanes organized within a metal–organic framework
  
  McGonigal, P., Deria, P., Hod, I., Moghadam, P., Avestro, A., Horwitz, N., Gibbs-Hall, I., Blackburn, A., Chen, D., Botros, Y., Wasielewski, M., Snurr, R., Hupp, J., Farha, O., & Stoddart, J. (2015). Electrochemically addressable trisradical rotaxanes organized within a metal–organic framework. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(36), 11161-11168. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1514485112
• Tunable solid-state fluorescent materials for supramolecular encryption
  
  Hou, X., Ke, C., Bruns, C. J., McGonigal, P. R., Pettman, R. B., & Stoddart, J. F. (2015). Tunable solid-state fluorescent materials for supramolecular encryption. Nature Communications, 6, Article 6884. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms7884
• Controlling association kinetics in the formation of donor-acceptor pseudorotaxanes
  
  McGonigal, P. R., Li, H., Cheng, C., Schneebeli, S. T., Frasconi, M., Witus, L. S., & Stoddart, J. F. (2015). Controlling association kinetics in the formation of donor-acceptor pseudorotaxanes. Tetrahedron Letters, 56(23), 3591-3594. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tetlet.2015.01.169
• Oxime Ligation on the Surface of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles
  
  Ferris, D. P., McGonigal, P. R., Witus, L. S., Kawaji, T., Algaradah, M. M., Alnajadah, A. R., Nassar, M. S., & Stoddart, J. F. (2015). Oxime Ligation on the Surface of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles. Organic Letters, 17(9), 2146-2149. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.orglett.5b00740
• An artificial molecular pump
  
  Cheng, C., McGonigal, P. R., Schneebeli, S. T., Li, H., Vermeulen, N. A., Ke, C., & Stoddart, J. F. (2015). An artificial molecular pump. Nature Nanotechnology, 10(6), 547-553. https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2015.96
• Formation of a hetero[3]rotaxane by a dynamic component-swapping strategy
  
  Wilson, E. A., Vermeulen, N. A., McGonigal, P. R., Avestro, A., Sarjeant, A. A., Stern, C. L., & Stoddart, J. F. (2014). Formation of a hetero[3]rotaxane by a dynamic component-swapping strategy. Chemical Communications, 50(68), 9665-9668. https://doi.org/10.1039/c4cc03612c
• Gold(I) as an Artificial Cyclase: Short Stereodivergent Syntheses of (−)-Epiglobulol and (−)-4β,7α- and (−)-4α,7α-Aromadendranediols
  
  Carreras, J., Livendahl, M., McGonigal, P. R., & Echavarren, A. M. (2014). Gold(I) as an Artificial Cyclase: Short Stereodivergent Syntheses of (−)-Epiglobulol and (−)-4β,7α- and (−)-4α,7α-Aromadendranediols. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 53(19), 4896-4899. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201402044
• Electron Delocalization in a Rigid Cofacial Naphthalene-1,8:4,5-bis(dicarboximide) Dimer
  
  Wu, Y., Frasconi, M., Gardner, D. M., McGonigal, P. R., Schneebeli, S. T., Wasielewski, M. R., & Stoddart, J. F. (2014). Electron Delocalization in a Rigid Cofacial Naphthalene-1,8:4,5-bis(dicarboximide) Dimer. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 53(36), 9476-9481. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201403816
• Gold(I) Carbenes by Retro-Buchner Reaction: Generation and Fate
  
  Wang, Y., McGonigal, P. R., Herle, B., Besora, M., & Echavarren, A. M. (2014). Gold(I) Carbenes by Retro-Buchner Reaction: Generation and Fate. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 136(2), 801-809. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja411626v
• Solid-State Characterization and Photoinduced Intramolecular Electron Transfer in a Nanoconfined Octacationic Homo[2]Catenane
  
  Barnes, J. C., Frasconi, M., Young, R. M., Khdary, N. H., Liu, W., Dyar, S. M., McGonigal, P. R., Gibbs-Hall, I. C., Diercks, C. S., Sarjeant, A. A., Stern, C. L., Goddard, W. A., Wasielewski, M. R., & Stoddart, J. F. (2014). Solid-State Characterization and Photoinduced Intramolecular Electron Transfer in a Nanoconfined Octacationic Homo[2]Catenane. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 136(30), 10569-10572. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja505093d
• Energetically Demanding transport in a Supramolecular Assembly
  
  Cheng, C., McGonigal, P. R., Liu, W., Li, H., Vermeulen, N. A., Ke, C., Frasconi, M., Stern, C. L., Goddard, W. A., & Stoddart, J. F. (2014). Energetically Demanding transport in a Supramolecular Assembly. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 136(42), 14702-14705. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja508615f
• An ExBox [2] catenane
  
  Juricek, M., Barnes, J. C., Strutt, N. L., Vermeulen, N. A., Ghooray, K. C., Dale, E. J., McGonigal, P. R., Blackburn, A. K., Avestro, A., & Stoddart, J. F. (2014). An ExBox [2] catenane. Chemical Science, 5(7), 2724-2731. https://doi.org/10.1039/c4sc00488d
• INTERLOCKED MOLECULES A molecular production line
  
  McGonigal, P. R., & Stoddart, J. F. (2013). INTERLOCKED MOLECULES A molecular production line. Nature Chemistry, 5(4), 260-262. https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.1599
• Relative Unidirectional Translation in an Artificial Molecular Assembly Fueled by Light
  
  Li, H., Cheng, C., McGonigal, P. R., Fahrenbach, A. C., Frasconi, M., Liu, W., Zhu, Z., Zhao, Y., Ke, C., Lei, J., Young, R. M., Dyar, S. M., Co, D. T., Yang, Y., Botros, Y. Y., Goddard, W. A., Wasielewski, M. R., Astumian, R. D., & Stoddart, J. F. (2013). Relative Unidirectional Translation in an Artificial Molecular Assembly Fueled by Light. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 135(49), 18609-18620. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja4094204
• Pillar[5]arene as a Co-Factor in Templating Rotaxane Formation
  
  Ke, C., Strutt, N. L., Li, H., Hou, X., Hartlieb, K. J., McGonigal, P. R., Ma, Z., Iehl, J., Stern, C. L., Cheng, C., Zhu, Z., Vermeulen, N. A., Meade, T. J., Botros, Y. Y., & Stoddart, J. F. (2013). Pillar[5]arene as a Co-Factor in Templating Rotaxane Formation. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 135(45), 17019-17030. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja407229h
• Gold for the Generation and Control of Fluxional Barbaralyl Cations
  
  McGonigal, P. R., de Leon, C., Wang, Y., Homs, A., Solorio-Alvarado, C. R., & Echavarren, A. M. (2012). Gold for the Generation and Control of Fluxional Barbaralyl Cations. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 51(52), 13093-13096. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201207682
• En Route to a Molecular Sheaf: Active Metal Template Synthesis of a [3]Rotaxane with Two Axles Threaded through One Ring
  
  Cheng, H. M., Leigh, D. A., Maffei, F., McGonigal, P. R., Slawin, A. M., & Wu, J. (2011). En Route to a Molecular Sheaf: Active Metal Template Synthesis of a [3]Rotaxane with Two Axles Threaded through One Ring. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 133(31), 12298-12303. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja205167e
• Active-Metal Template Synthesis of a Molecular Trefoil Knot
  
  Barran, P. E., Cole, H. L., Goldup, S. M., Leigh, D. A., McGonigal, P. R., Symes, M. D., Wu, J., & Zengerle, M. (2011). Active-Metal Template Synthesis of a Molecular Trefoil Knot. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 50(51), 12280-12284. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201105012
• Ligand-assisted nickel-catalysed sp(3)-sp(3) homocoupling of unactivated alkyl bromides and its application to the active template synthesis of rotaxanes
  
  Goldup, S. M., Leigh, D. A., McBurney, R. T., McGonigal, P. R., & Plant, A. (2010). Ligand-assisted nickel-catalysed sp(3)-sp(3) homocoupling of unactivated alkyl bromides and its application to the active template synthesis of rotaxanes. Chemical Science, 1(3), 383-386. https://doi.org/10.1039/c0sc00279h
• Two Axles Threaded Using a Single Template Site: Active Metal Template Macrobicyclic [3]Rotaxanes
  
  Goldup, S. M., Leigh, D. A., McGonigal, P. R., Ronaldson, V. E., & Slawin, A. M. (2010). Two Axles Threaded Using a Single Template Site: Active Metal Template Macrobicyclic [3]Rotaxanes. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 132(1), 315-320. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja9080716
• Active Metal Template Synthesis of [2]Catenanes
  
  Goldup, S. M., Leigh, D. A., Long, T., McGonigal, P. R., Symes, M. D., & Wu, J. (2009). Active Metal Template Synthesis of [2]Catenanes. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 131(43), 15924-15929. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja9070317