Green Chemistry, Absolute Kinetics, and Signal Amplification with Molecular Nanocrystals

化学结构，动力学和机制B程序支持教授米格尔A。Garcia-Garibay与加州大学洛杉矶分校的研究人员合作，利用单晶X射线衍射、固态核磁共振和激光闪光光解的化学动力学，为固态反应建立了可靠的反应模型。 大量的化学过程伴随着光而发生，在没有外部试剂的情况下，化学键可以在固态环境的严格约束下断裂并形成新的键。 这种反应显示出与酶催化反应所观察到的化学控制水平竞争的化学控制水平。 Garcia-Garibay教授的研究小组最近的研究表明，尺寸在约100毫米的晶体。200 nm规模是分析和工程应用的理想新实现。 该项目还研究了晶体中的量子链式反应，其特征是每个吸收的光子形成一个以上的产物，信号放大值高达100万。 该项目为绿色化学和可持续性做出了重要贡献，证明了使用悬浮在水中的纳米晶体样品，晶体中的反应可以放大到数公斤的规模。 固体中的反应在许多情况下都很重要。 它们包括固体药物和消费品的不期望的分解、结构固体的降解和老化以及固态器件的疲劳。 然而，这一建议最广泛的科学和技术影响是帮助发展所需的知识和人力基础设施，以了解目前气相和溶液中常见的固体反应。研究人员成功地吸引了妇女和少数民族学生到他的研究小组，保持高度支持和创造性的环境，促进材料科学和科学教育的职业生涯。PI已经与贸易技术学院的教师建立了几项合作，该学院在洛杉矶市中心拥有大量的西班牙裔和非洲裔美国人，并将鼓励他们的学生从事化学和材料科学的职业。

The Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms B Program supports Professor Miguel A. Garcia-Garibay of the University of California, Los Angeles to develop robust reactivity models for reactions in the solid state using single crystal X-ray diffraction, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, and chemical kinetics by laser flash photolysis. A large number of chemical processes occur with light, and in the absence of external reagents, chemical bonds can be broken and new bonds can be made under the rigid constraints of solid state environments. Such reactions display levels of chemical control that compete with those observed for reactions catalyzed by enzymes. Recent developments by Professor Garcia-Garibay's group have shown that crystals with sizes in the ca. 200 nm scale are ideal for the novel implementation of analytical and engineering applications. This project also investigates quantum chain reactions in crystals, characterized by the formation of more than one product per photon absorbed, with signal amplification values as high as one million. This project makes a key contribution to green chemistry and sustainability by demonstrating that reactions in crystals can be scaled up to multi-kilogram scales using nanocrystals samples suspended in water. Reactions in solids are important in a variety of circumstances. They include the undesirable decomposition of solid pharmaceuticals and consumer products, the degradation and aging of structural solids, and the fatigue of solid state devices. However, the broadest scientific and technological impact of this proposal is to help develop the intellectual and human infrastructure needed to understand reactions in solids at a level now common for the gas phase and in solution. The investigator has been successful attracting women and minority students to his research group by maintaining a highly supportive and creative environment that fosters careers in materials science and in science education. The PI has established several collaborations with faculty at Trade Technical College, which has a very large Hispanic and African American population in downtown Los Angeles, and which will encourage their students to pursue careers in chemistry and materials science.