Understanding Chemical Complexity and Diversity Through Collaboration and Integration

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Project title: "Understanding Chemical Complexity and Diversity Through Integration and Collaborations"Project Number: CHE-07-17518Principle Investigator: Nicholas J. Turro, Columbia UniversityAbstractThe proposed research is based on the hypothesis that the principles of structure-reactivity correlations of molecular chemistry (which is based on the paradigm of intramolecular bonds between the atoms that make up a molecule) can be successfully extended to supramolecular chemistry (which is based on the paradigm of intermolecular bonds between molecules) through the integration of the fundamental concepts of the fields and collaborations involving the PI's laboratory and a national and international group of collaborators. In addition to the electrical interactions between which are the basis for both molecular and supramolecular chemistry, molecules also possess magnetic properties that are related to electron spins and nuclear spins. The rate of change of orientation of electrons spins can control the reactions of electronically excited states and of radical species. The change of the orientation of nuclear spins is the basis of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The proposed research will investigate the ability of pairs of electron spins to control chemical processes that are relevant to chemical synthesis and of pairs of nuclear spins to control features of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy that are relevant to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Specific examples include (1) the study of the change in nuclear spin orientation of hydrogen molecules (H2) that are contained inside a fullerene, C60 molecule; and (2) the study of the change of electron spin orientation in determining the rate of energy transfer in systems involving luminescent molecular probes of mRNA targets in living cells. In addition to these studies, the proposed research will investigate (3) the synthesis of novel polymer networks by selective polymerization and coupling reactions combined with photochemical cleavage of the polymer networks; and (4) the synthesis of nanoparticles possessing ligands that allow a general and universal modification depending on the desire application of the nanoparticle. In terms of broader impact and outreach, the PI will (1) continue to identify and establish a interdisciplinary and global network of senior collaborators and their students, from academic institutions and industry; (2) provide collaborators with a multi-user-friendly laboratory at Columbia consisting of state of the art steady state and time resolved laser flash photolysis with luminescence, ESR, IR and UV-VIS absorption detection; (3) present a series of public lectures on the way science operates through paradigms; (4) develop human resources and encouragement of the participation of underrepresented groups through his mentoring of undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral associates, visiting scholars and New York City high school teachers.