Polyboranes: New Syntheses and Reactions

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Professor Larry G. Sneddon, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry Program for the development of polyborane compounds. These compounds are involved in applications ranging from cancer agents to high temperature polymers, from extractants for nuclear wastes to ceramic precursors. The exploitation of these and other potential uses has been seriously hampered by the inability to efficiently synthesize or modify the polyboranes. This project addresses these problems by developing new high-yield methods for the systematic syntheses of important polyborane compounds, polymers, and materials. One project uses the unique activating properties of ionic liquids to develop new types of polyborane transformations. A second project undertakes the first investigations of microwave assisted ionic liquid/polyborane reactions. The third focuses on the discovery of new types of metal-catalyzed methods that result in controlled synthetic modifications and/or polymerizations. Overall, the research emphasizes both the discovery of new reactions and the elucidation of their fundamental mechanisms. The results of this project will strongly impact the related fields of organometallic chemistry, catalysis, medicinal chemistry, materials science, and alternative energy research. In addition to the scientific results, this research will provide training to a diverse group of undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students.