Functional Ortho-Phenyleneethynylenes

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This project aims to synthesize and self-assemble a library of novel ortho phenyleneethynylene (OPE), compounds important to advancing the area of nano-materials with specific materials properties for possible applications in solid-state devices such as sensors. Heterocyclic modules will steer the self-assembly of OPEs to helically folded or linearly-extended nano structures. Metal ions will be utilized to make self-assembled nano grids. Depending upon the selected self-assembly mode, the conjugation in these OPEs can be switched on and off at will, without change of the primary structure of the phenyleneethynylene. Helically folded OPEs will have a large external surface, and almost no accessible interior cavity, similarly to helical proteins. Constituents at defined sites depending upon the utilized monomer will decorate the helical structures. As a consequence, helices with highly evolved outside surfaces, being recognition sites, are viewed as achievable. These decorated surfaces will provide a way to manipulate the aggregation of helices towards lamellar, micellar, and other super-structures. Novel luminescent metallosupramolecular nano-grids will be formed when metal-ions are successfully used to coordinate pyrazine-containing OPEs. Such hitherto unknown 2D-conjugated nano-structures offer exciting prospects for potential applications in sensory, device, and semiconductor nano-memory applications.This project will synthesize a class of novel ortho phenyleneethynylene (OPE) compounds with expected capabilities to assemble into extended, helical and grid-type nano-structures. The self-assembly process is guided by specific substitution patterns determined by the chemical environment. The overall goal is to develop novel conjugated oligomers displaying attractive emissive and sensory attributes relevant to the invention of efficient devices such as sensors. The proposed research is important to the education and training of young scientists and engineers to work in areas of current high national interests. This project is being co-funded by the Chemistry Division and the Division of Materials Research.