Site Isolated Polymeric Metal Complexes: From Modular Synthesis to Responsive Nanoscale Assemblies

这个奖项在无机，生物无机和有机化学计划支持研究教授卡桑德拉L。弗雷泽在弗吉尼亚大学制备和研究聚合物金属络合物（PMC），这是金属中心与不同数量和类型的悬垂聚合物链，包括嵌段共聚物能够纳米级自组装，以适当地模拟微调金属反应中心蛋白质。 刺激响应性聚合物Fe，Pt，Ru和Ln联吡啶配合物将通过控制聚合和模块化金属模板合成来制备，以开发用于生物和光子应用的可调分子探针，成像剂和传感器。 最初的目标是生物相容性的含铼的聚酯制备的金属引发的内酯与醇引发剂。这种疏水的玻璃状聚合物可以作为发光体的保护壳，最大限度地减少自猝灭和水介导的非辐射衰变途径，这对生物和光子应用都很重要。第二嵌段可以经由羟基链端添加到Ru bpy-聚乳酸中以获得水溶性或产生自组装的材料。这些嵌段共聚物可以被设计成形成具有内置荧光标签的pH敏感性胶束、囊泡和水凝胶，用于监测生物环境中的位置和降解。 含金属离子的新型聚合物作为生物相容性和光子材料的合成和研究的目标。 在这项研究中的跨学科合作和跨科学，工程，医学和人文学科的项目参与将进行，以加强科学基础设施和妇女和代表性不足的少数民族在科学进步的援助。

This award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry program supports research by Professor Cassandra L. Fraser at the University of Virginia to prepare and study polymeric metal complexes (PMCs), which are metal centers with different numbers and types of pendant polymer chains including block copolymers capable of nanoscale self-assembly, to appropriately model the finely tuned metal reaction centers in proteins. Stimuli responsive polymeric Fe, Pt, Ru, and Ln bipyridine complexes will be prepared by controlled polymerization and modular metal template synthesis to develop tunable molecular probes, imaging agents, and sensors for biological and photonic applications. Initial targets are biocompatible ruthenium-containing polyesters prepared by metalloinitiation of lactones with alcohol initiators. Such hydrophobic, glassy polymers could serve as a protective shell for the luminophore, minimizing self-quenching and water-mediated non-radiative decay pathways, important for both biological and photonic applications. A second block can be added to Ru bpy-polylactic acids via the hydroxyl chain ends for water solubility or to produce materials that self-assemble. These block copolymers can be designed to form pH sensitive micelles, vesicles, and hydrogels with built-in fluorescent tags, useful for monitoring location and degradation in biological contexts. New polymers containing metal ions are targeted for synthesis and study as biocompatible and photonic materials. Interdisciplinary collaborations in this research and participation in programs crossing the sciences, engineering, medicine, and the humanities will be undertaken to enhance the scientific infrastructure and aid in the progress of women and underrepresented minorities in science.