CAREER: Photochromic Photooxidants - developing electron deficient photochromes to gate sensitivity toward photoinduced charge transfer

凭借这一职业奖，化学结构、动力学和机制项目支持了霍普学院的Jason G. Gillmore教授的一个项目，该项目旨在开发缺乏电子的光致变色分子，这种分子可以用作长波吸收光化学激发态的氧化剂。该项目将包括本科生研究人员设计、合成和基本光化学和电化学表征改性光致变色材料。研究了光致变色剂在阳离子聚合和小分子异构化反应中的作用。目标是生成具有不同激发态还原电位的光致变色材料库。这个主要的实验项目也将包括一个计算组件。gilmore教授的研究通过合成在短波长吸收态之间异构化的光致变色剂，开发了门控光诱导电荷转移。更广泛的影响可能导致在光引发聚合，数据存储和化学反应的控制增加的应用。这项研究的另一个重要影响将是让学生接触到包括电子转移、离子自由基反应中间体、光化学、循环伏安法、聚合、材料科学和计算化学等主题。Gillmore教授将在有机讲座课程中实施一个完整的同伴领导的团队学习计划。PI还将为考虑在本科院校任教的博士后举办区域研讨会。

With this CAREER Award, the Chemical Structure, Dynamics, and Mechanisms Program supports Professor Jason G. Gillmore of Hope College in a project directed toward the development of electron deficient photochromic molecules that can be used as oxidizing agents in their long-wavelength absorbing photochemically excited state. The project will involve undergraduate researchers in the design of the modified photochromes, their synthesis, and their basic photochemical and electrochemical characterization. The effectiveness of the photochromes in several cationic polymerization and small molecule isomerization reactions will be investigated. The goal is to generate a library of photochromatic materials with varying excited state reduction potentials. This primarily experimental project will also include a computational component. The research by Professor Gillmore develops gated photoinduced charge transfer by synthesizing photochromes that isomerize between short- and long wavelength absorbing states. Broader impacts could lead to applications in photoinitiation of polymerization, data storage, and increased control of chemical reactions. Another important impact of this research will be the exposure of students to topics including electron transfer, ion radical reactive intermediates, photochemistry, cyclic voltammetry, polymerization, materials science, and computational chemistry. Professor Gillmore will implement a full Peer-Led Team Learning program into the organic lecture curriculum. The PI will also hold regional workshops for postdoctoral students who are considering teaching careers at undergraduate institutions.