Ryan studied the reactions of germylenes with ketones and phenones and was a key leader in leader of studio chemistry at the University of Michigan. He is currently an assistant professor of chemistry at the Lyman Briggs School of Science, a residential college at Michigan State University. His research focuses on the processes involved in the teaching and learning of general chemistry.
Exploring Two Reactions of Ketones with Ge[CH(SiMe3)2]2: CH and OH insertion. R. D. Sweeder, K. A. Miller, F. A. Edwards, J. Wang, M. M. Banaszak Holl, Organometallics 2003, 22, 5054-5063.
Activation and Catalytic Partial Hydrogenation of Benzophenone. R. D. Sweeder, Z. T. Cygan, M. M. Banaszak Holl, Jeff W. Kampf, Organometallics 2003, 22, 4613-4615.
Germylene Reactions with Quinones Shed Light on Germylene Phenone Equilibria. R. D. Sweeder, R. L. Gdula, B. J. Ludwig, M. M. Banaszak Holl, and J. W. Kampf, Organometallics 2003, 22, 3222-3229.
C-H Activation of Ethers and Alkanes by Germylene-Aryl Halide Complexes. K. A. Miller, J. M. Bartolin, R. M. O’Neil, R. D. Sweeder, T. M. Owens, J. W. Kampf, M. M. Banaszak Holl, N. J. Wells, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 8986-8987.
Quick, Efficient Conversion of Phenones to Conjugated Trienes, R. D. Sweeder, K. A. Miller, F. A. Edwards, M. M. Banaszak Holl, J. W. Kampf, Organometallics 2002, 21, 457-459.
Photochemistry of Organometallic Germylenes and Metallacycles. K. E. Litz, J. E. Bender, R. D. Sweeder, M. M. Banaszak Holl, J. W. Kampf. Organometallics 2000, 19, 1186-1189.