Eric Nacsa
Professional Appointments and Affiliations
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Office
426 Chemistry Building
University Park, PA 16802
Email: nacsa@psu.edu
(814) 863-1339
Education
NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, Princeton University, 2019
PhD, Columbia University, 2015
BSc, Harvey Mudd College, 2010
Honors and Awards
NIH Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (NIGMS R35 MIRA), 2024–2029
NSF Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award, 2024–2029
ACS PRF New Doctoral Investigator, 2022–2023
NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32), 2017–2019
Arun Guthikonda Memorial Graduate Fellowship, Columbia University, 2013
Harvey S. Mudd Merit Scholarship, Harvey Mudd College, 2006–2010
Research
Our group is primarily interested in addressing important challenges in synthetic organic chemistry. In particular, we develop new, general strategies to prepare complex, biologically active compounds or substructures from the simplest possible feedstocks. This work involves designing new reactions, catalysts, and reagents, and is driven by mechanistic hypotheses and investigations. We have focused on using modern redox strategies of electrochemistry and photoredox catalysis, in addition to designing molecular systems to leverage novel reactivities of radical intermediates.
Recent Publications
*Houck, J. D.; *Yik B. J.; *Nacsa, E. D. “Learning Gains in Organic Chemistry from Full and Hybrid Specifications Grading.” JACS Au 2026, 6, ASAP, DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.6c00531.
Barney, J. L.; Patel, B.; Servagno, S. M.; Reif, A. J.; Das, S.; Gibbs, W. A.; Levandowski, B. L.; Das, M.; *Sayfutyarova, E. R.; *Kudisch, B.; *VanHeyst, M. D.; *Nacsa, E. D. “Photoinduced Reductive Elimination from Sulfur Enables a Unique Synthetic Valorization of Sulfonamides.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2026, 148, 35613–35625.
Abesingha, A. K.; Amire, N.; Pal, S.; Babcock, D. J.; *Nacsa, E. D. “Regiocontrolled Minisci Alkylations Guided by Phosphonium Ions.” ChemRxiv 2026, posted April 28, 2026, DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv.15002473/v1.
Hilvano, E. V. H.; Liang, M.-C.; Piane, J. J.; *Nacsa, E. D. “Direct Electrochemical Synthesis of Pentafluorophenyl Esters via Oxyl-Radical-Promoted Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution.” Org. Biomol. Chem. 2025, 23, 6373–6385.
Han, J.; Piane, J. J.; Gizenski, H.; *Nacsa, E. D. “An Electrochemical Design for Catalytic Dehydration Enables a General Platform for Carboxylic Acid Substitution at Room Temperature: Amidation, Esterification, and Thioesterification.” Org. Lett. 2025, 27, 1923–1928.
Barney, J. L.; Wolfram, A. J.; Litvak, R.; *Nacsa, E. D. “A General Amino–(Hetero)Arylation of Simple Olefins with (Hetero)Aryl Sulfonamides Enabled by an N-Triazinyl Group.” ACS Catal. 2025, 15, 2139–2149.
Babcock, D. J.; Wolfram, A. J.; Barney, J. L.; Servagno, S. M.; Sharma, A.; *Nacsa, E. D. “A Free-Radical Design Featuring an Intramolecular Migration for a Synthetically Versatile Alkyl–(Hetero)Arylation of Simple Olefins.” Chem. Sci. 2024, 15, 4031–4040.
Haines, C. A.; Han, J.; *Nacsa, E. D. “An Electrochemical Design for Catalytic Dehydration: Direct, Room-Temperature Esterification without Acid or Base Additives.” Synlett 2024, 35, 1733–1738.
Han, J.; Haines, C. A.; Piane, J. J.; Filien, L. L.; *Nacsa, E. D. “An Electrochemical Design for Catalytic Dehydration: Direct, Room-Temperature Esterification without Acid or Base Additives.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 15680–15687.