Conformationally Programmable Molecular Receptors

这项研究的重点是开发能够改变和改变识别特性的多功能聚合物。 这是通过使用围绕C（芳基）-N（酰亚胺）键的受限旋转来实现的。 分子可以在客体存在下退火以形成互补结构。然后，这些可以通过冷却到室温而作为稳定的构象异构体“保存”。 “保存”的构象可以通过在不存在客体的情况下加热来“擦除”，或者通过与不同的客体一起加热来“重写”。 这种行为的拟议机制与蛋白质折叠等动态生物过程有一些相似之处。 有了这个更新的奖项，有机和高分子化学计划支持博士的研究和教育工作的化学和生物化学系的清水肯在南卡罗来纳州，在哥伦比亚，南卡罗来纳大学。 清水教授将把研究重点放在开发能够识别特定分子的“智能聚合物”上。 这项研究将有助于对高分子材料行为的基本原理的理解。 研究生、本科生和博士后的化学学生将在清水教授的实验室接受培训，并将扩大对K-12学生的外联活动。

The focus of this research is in the development of multi-functional polymers that can alter and change recognition properties. This is accomplished by the use of restricted rotation about C(aryl)-N(imide) bonds. The molecules can be annealed in the presence of a guest to form complementary structures. These can then be "saved" as stable conformers by cooling to room temperature. "Saved" conformations can be "erased" by heating in the absence of guest or "rewritten" by heating with a different guest. The proposed mechanism for this behavior shares some similarities with dynamic biological processes such as protein folding. With this renewal award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program is supporting the research and educational efforts of Dr. Ken Shimizu of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of South Carolina, in Columbia, S.C. Professor Shimizu will focus his research on the development of "smart polymers" capable of recognizing particular molecules. This research will contribute to the fundamental understanding of the principles governing the behavior of polymeric materials. Chemistry students at the graduate, undergraduate and post-doctoral level will be trained in Professor Shimizu's laboratory, and outreach activities to K-12 students will be extended.