The Organic Chemistry of Silicon in Small and Large Molecules

有机化学和高分子化学项目继续支持伊利诺伊州埃文斯顿的西北大学化学系约瑟夫·B·兰伯特教授的工作。这项研究将扩展PI在含有硅和其他主族元素的化合物的有机化学方面的工作。在元素周期表中仅次于碳的硅，在取代碳时具有新奇的性质。这项研究的主要目标是制备具有有趣和有用性质的新分子。将合成以主族元素为中心的新的和特殊的有机阳离子，并对其稳定性进行评价。一系列有机硅反应将产生纳米尺度的树枝状大分子，其表面覆盖着能够与金属阳离子结合的有机主体，并作为新型催化剂。将研究具有生物意义的基本有机分子与硅酸反应的能力，目的是在无机和生物有机世界之间建立联系，涉及到益生化学。一个多元化、多种族的群体将进行这项研究，其中包括来自未被充分代表的少数民族的学生。这项研究不仅将教育那些参与项目的人，还将通过教育活动、书籍和讲座来教育本科生和普通公众。这项研究有望在催化、工业分离和提纯、环境修复和药物输送等领域产生广泛的积极影响。

With this renewal award the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program continues its support for the work of Professor Joseph B. Lambert of the Department of Chemistry at Northwestern University in Evanston IL. The research will extend the PI's work on the organic chemistry of compounds that contain silicon and other main group elements. Silicon, which is just below carbon in the periodic table, conveys novel properties when replacing carbon. The primary goals of the research are to prepare new molecules with interesting and useful properties. New and unusual organic cations centered on main group elements will be synthesized and their stability evaluated. A series of organosilicon reactions will produce dendrimers of nanodimensions, whose surface is covered with organic hosts that can bind to metal cations and serve as novel catalysts. The ability of fundamental organic molecules of biological interest to react with silicic acid will be investigated with the goal of establishing links between the inorganic and bioorganic worlds with implications in prebiotic chemistry. A diverse, multiracial group that includes students from underrepresented minorities will carry out this research. The research will not only educate those involved in the projects but also undergraduates and the general public though educational activities, books, and lectures. This research is expected to have broad positive impact in the areas of catalysis, industrial separations and purification, environmental remediation, and drug delivery.