SusChEM: Lewis Pair Polymerization: A Powerful Synthetic Strategy for Sustainable and Functional Polymers

化学系大分子、超分子和纳米化学项目获得该奖项，支持科罗拉多州立大学的Eugene Chen教授进行研究，以显著扩大Lewis对聚合(LPP)的范围和用途，特别是用于从生物质衍生的可再生原料合成聚合物。合成聚合物是一系列产品的重要组成部分，包括服装、电子设备、家具和家居产品。陈教授从事开发新型催化剂和合成方法的研究，以从生物质来源的可再生原料中制备先进的功能聚合物材料。这项研究的重要目标是开发高效的合成具有所需性能的聚合物的工艺，并减少社会对以石油为基础的原材料的依赖。该项目还提供了教授和培训学生使用对催化剂开发和聚合物研究非常重要的广泛技术的机会。Lewis对聚合是一种强大的聚合方法，它是在国家科学基金会的支持下由Chen实验室大力开发的。这项研究的具体目标是：1)开发立体选择性的LPP，用于从生物质衍生的单体合成立体规则或光学活性的手性聚合物；2)对生物质基多乙烯基单体进行化学选择性的LPP，以生成功能聚合物；以及3)应用LPP方法合成可能用于有机光伏(OPV)应用的给体/受体(D/A)接枝共聚物。

With this award, the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the Division of Chemistry, is supporting Professor Eugene Chen from Colorado State University to conduct research to significantly expand the scope and utility of Lewis Pair Polymerization (LPP), especially for the synthesis of polymers from biomass-derived renewable feedstocks. Synthetic polymers are important components of a wide range of products including clothes, electronic devices, furniture, and household products. Professor Chen conducts research to develop novel catalysts and synthetic methods for the preparation of advance functional polymeric materials from biomass-derived renewable feedstocks. Important goals of this research are to develop efficient processes for the synthesis of polymers with desired properties and to reduce societal dependence on petroleum-based raw materials. This project also provides opportunities for teaching and training students in the use of a wide range of techniques important for catalyst development and polymer research. Lewis pair polymerization is a powerful polymerization method, that was substantially developed in the Chen lab under support from the National Science Foundation. The specific objectives of this research are: 1) to develop stereoselective LPP for the synthesis of stereoregular or optically active chiral polymers from biomass-derived monomers; 2) to perform chemoselective LPP of biomass-based multi-vinyl monomers to yield functional polymers; and 3) to apply the LPP method for the synthesis of donor/acceptor (D/A) graft copolymers that are potentially useful for organic photovoltaic (OPV) applications.