CAREER: Undergraduate research on the properties and mechanistic studies of organic molecules assembled on monolayer protected clusters

在化学系有机与高分子化学项目的支持下，Kevin W.迈阿密大学米德尔敦分校的基特里奇将重点关注三个项目; 1）烷硫醇封端的单层保护簇（MPC）的配体交换机制，2）测量苯甲酸ω-官能化的烷硫醇盐MPC的pKa值，和3）超支化聚酰胺薄膜，钝化光化学和热降解艺术。教授基特里奇将研究的物理性能的烷硫醇组装为单层保护簇（MPC），并检查由不同金属（Au、Ag、CdS、Pt、Cu）、各种连接体（氧、氮、磷和羧酸根阴离子）和不同烷基链长度组成的MPC。还将研究金属核尺寸对纳米颗粒稳定性的影响以及对ω-取代的烷硫醇的物理常数的影响。本研究的重点是提高这些纳米粒子的稳定性，并增加其作为分子器件的潜力。通过研究MPC团簇的机制和物理性质，设计和合成更复杂的团簇将继续下去。重点将是提高纳米粒子的稳定性，并增加其作为分子器件的潜力。迈阿密大学米德尔敦校区化学和生物化学系的Kittredge正在开发制备omega功能化MPC和薄膜的方法。他的工作结果将有助于建立有机纳米粒子的结构/反应性和结构/稳定性关系。他将向迈阿密大学米德尔敦分校的一年级和二年级学生介绍这项研究，米德尔敦分校是迈阿密大学的一个两年分支分校，致力于他们的继续教育，以获得更高的学位。一个主要的重点将是开发教育材料，用于大学化学课程，类似于以前的工作由PI。此外，还将制作示范并向学校和博物馆传播。

With the support of the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program in the Chemistry Division, Professor Kevin W. Kittredge of the Miami University- Middletown will focus on three projects; 1) mechanisms for ligand-exchange of alkanethiol capped monolayer protected clusters (MPCs), 2) measuring the pKa values for benzoic acids omega-functionalized alkanethiolate MPCs, and 3) hyperbranched polyamide films that passivate photochemical and thermal degradation of art. Professor Kittredge will study the physical properties of alkanethiols assembled as monolayer protected clusters (MPCs) and examine MPCs composed of different metals (Au, Ag, CdS, Pt, Cu), various linkers (oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, and carboxylate anions), and differing alkyl chain lengths. The influence of the metal core size on nanoparticle stability and the effects on the physical constants for omega-substituted alkanethiols will also be studied. An emphasis of this research is to improve the stability of these nanoparticles and increase their potential as molecular devices. By investigating the mechanisms and physical properties of MPC clusters, the design and synthesis of more complex clusters will continue. The emphasis will be to improve the stability of the nanoparticles and increase their potential as molecular devices.With support from this CAREER award from the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program, Professor Kevin W. Kittredge, of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the Middletown campus of Miami University is developing methodology for preparation of omega-functionalized MPCs and thin films. The results of his work will help establish structure/reactivity and structure/stability relationships for organic nanoparticles. He will introduce this research to first and second year students at Miami University Middletown, a two-year branch campus of Miami University with efforts on their continuing education towards more advanced degrees. A major focus will be on developing educational materials to be used in university chemistry courses, similar to previous work by the PI. Additionally, demonstrations will be developed and disseminated to schools and museums.