PECASE: Metal Core Macromolecules with Tunable Properties

Cassandra L. Fraser博士，弗吉尼亚大学化学系，获得无机、生物无机和有机金属化学项目的早期职业发展（Career）奖。联吡啶或邻菲罗啉金属配合物的卤代甲基衍生物将作为活性聚合试剂，用于制备星形、异臂星形和星形嵌段共聚物形式的金属核心大分子。研究工作包括恶唑啉、苯乙烯和丙烯酸酯的聚合；亲核终止剂对大分子功能化的影响考察了块长度和组成对聚合行为的影响。在相关的教育努力中，两年的入门荣誉课程的第二年和研究生水平的过渡金属课程将被重新设计。本科课程的中心主题是跨学科的科学教育方法，而研究生课程采用互动研讨会的形式。利用金属配合物核的独特特性，含金属大分子具有广泛的潜在应用前景。金属核心大分子可以用作液晶、负载催化剂和光学或电化学传感器。将分别在本科和研究生阶段引入跨学科和研讨会的化学教育方法。

Dr. Cassandra L. Fraser, Chemistry Department, University of Virginia, is supported by a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry Program. The utility of halo-methyl derivatives of bipyridine or phenanthroline metal complexes will be tested as living polymerization reagents for the preparation of metal core macromolecules in the form of star, heteroarm star, and star block copolymers. Research efforts include polymerization of oxazolines, styrenes and acrylates; functionalization of macromolecules via nucleophilic termination agents; and examination of block length and composition influence upon aggregation behavior. In an associated educational effort, the second year of a two-year introductory honors sequence and a graduate level transition metal course will be redesigned. The central motif of the undergraduate course is an interdisciplinary approach to science education while the graduate course utilizes an interactive seminar format. Metal-containing macromolecules have a wide range of potential applications that exploit the unique characteristics of the metal complex core. Metal core macromolecules may serve as liquid crystals, supported catalysts and optical or electrochemical sensors. Interdisciplinary and seminar approaches to chemistry education will be introduced at the undergraduate and graduate levels, respectively.