Precisely shaped and functionalized graphene nanoribbons from cascade alkyne cyclizations

在这个由化学系大分子、超分子和纳米化学项目资助的项目中，佛罗里达州立大学的Igor Alabugin将开发一种通过级联炔环化方法合成石墨烯样多环芳烃的新方法。 该方法是应用当前的自由基级联，炔环化制备更宽和更长的多环芳烃，修改自由基级联中的起始和终止步骤以影响五边形亚基的形成，并在产物分子的外围引入官能团，这将允许碳带的极化。 更广泛的影响包括在跨学科研究环境中培养研究生和本科生，通过出版物，演讲和推广活动广泛传播研究成果和概念，新化合物对光学和电子材料应用的潜在社会影响，并通过与白求恩的一个研究小组合作，扩大代表性不足的群体对化学科学的参与，使用石墨烯纳米带开发电子设备，石墨烯纳米带是由单层碳原子组成的超小型物质条，具有生成高效微型设备的潜力;然而，必须克服许多重大技术障碍才能实现这些好处。 该项目解决了合成用于电子产品的石墨烯纳米带的一个重要的长期问题，并将进一步加深我们对这种技术上重要的材料的理解。 这些工作可能会影响在其产品中使用微处理器的行业，包括计算机，消费电子产品，汽车等。

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Igor Alabugin of the Florida State University will develop a new approach to synthesizing graphene-like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons via a cascade alkyne cyclization approach. The approach is to apply current radical cascade, alkyne cyclizations to the preparation of wider and longer polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, to modify the initiation and termination steps in the radical cascade to affect the formation of pentagonal subunits, and to introduce functional groups around the periphery of the product molecule, which will permit polarization of the carbon ribbons. The broader impacts involve training graduate and undergraduate students in an interdisciplinary research environment, broad dissemination of research results and concepts via publications, presentations and outreach activities, the potential societal impacts of new compounds for optical and electronic materials applications, and broadening participation of underrepresented groups in chemical sciences via collaboration with a research group at Bethune-Cookman University.Developing electronic devices using graphene nanoribbons, ultrasmall strips of matter comprised of a single layer of carbon atoms, has the potential to generate efficient, miniature devices; however, many significant technical hurdles must be overcome to realize the benefits. The project addresses an important, longstanding problem in synthesizing graphene nanoribbons for use in electronics and will further our understanding of this technologically important material. Such work could impact industries that use microprocessors in their products, including computer, consumer electronics, automotive, etc.