Mechanisms of Transition Metal Catalyzed Reactions in Hydrocarbons

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This project continues the exploration of organometallic olefin metathesis reactions, which has grown into one of the key tools of modern synthetic chemists. Applications include the synthesis of small molecules, such as natural products, and the production of polymers with well-defined structures and controlled properties. During the current granting period, emphasis will be placed on developing a fuller understanding of the fundamental mechanistic underpinnings of these reactions. Further refinement and development of new catalyst systems are expected to accrue from such studies, in additional to their intrinsic scientific value. Applications of a tandem strategy coupling ring-opening metathesis with atom transfer radical polymerization will be used to produce a variety of new polymer structures such as comb and hyper-branched systems.With this Award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program of the Division of Chemistry and the Solid State Chemistry and Polymers Program of the Division of Materials Research support the research activities of Professor Robert H. Grubbs of the California Institute of Technology. Professor Grubbs has developed very powerful catalysts for the precise construction of organic molecules including those of interest to the pharmaceutical and polymer industries. The current period of funding will allow for the further understanding and refinement of the needed catalyst systems as well as their applications for the preparation of novel polymeric substances.