Synthesis of Spherical Molecular and Ionic Assemblies

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The objective of this work is to prepare very large molecular and ionic capsules and investigate their molecular recognition properties. A number of calixarenes and alkyl substituted resorcinarenes and pyrogallolarenes will be or have been prepared and the self assembly of these materials into pentamers and hexamers will be studied. The spherical assemblies thus formed will be characterized by a number of methods. These spherical assemblies will then be systematically presented with potential guest molecules and mixtures of potential guests to gain information about their molecular recognition properties. Lastly, hexameric assemblies with very long alkyl "tails" will be tested for their ability to form even larger assemblies via hexamer-hexamer interactions through these tails. With this award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program is supporting the research of Dr. Jerry L. Atwood of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Dr. Atwood will explore the synthesis of spherical molecular and ionic capsules. Tetramers of phenols related to naturally occuring compounds can self assemble into a variety of Platonic and Archimedean polyhedral shapes. The resulting spherical assemblies have defined internal volumes, hence the term molecular capsules, capable of recognizing and distinguishing other molecular guests. Such assemblies may have practical applications for drug delivery or the removal of contaminants from mixtures. Students trained as a result of working on this project will gain experience in inorganic materials research as well as supramolecular organic chemistry, hence they will have skills needed by both the specialty chemicals and pharmaceutical industries.