"Photo-click" - Photocatalysis, Photopolymerization, and Photomodification via the Cu(I) Catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Reaction

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，科罗拉多大学的Christopher Bowman将开发光引发铜催化的炔-叠氮环加成（CuAAC）反应的方法。 解决这一研究问题的方法涉及理解和扩大光生铜（I）络合物所需的化学机制，最终引发这一反应;确定这一过程的能力;制定技术，使表面和3D基板的重复图案化具有最大的精度和分辨率;和开发伴随CuAAC反应的同时自由基聚合反应，独立控制两个过程的相对速率。 更广泛的影响包括培训和指导本科生和研究生，广泛传播研究成果，并启动“红衫军”计划，以扩大有资格获得博士学位的学生人数。聚合物在日常生活的许多方面都有应用，包括食品包装、汽车和航空航天运输的结构材料以及轻型电子设备。 这项研究可能会导致简单，强大的反应化学的发展，容易和廉价的实施在广泛的聚合物应用。 通过使用光来控制反应进行的时间和地点，聚合物网络可以以很高的三维精度形成。 这种化学反应将影响一系列技术，包括涂层、生物医学材料和柔性电子产品。

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Christopher Bowman of the University of Colorado will develop methodologies for photoinitiating the copper-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction. The approach to this research problem involves understanding and broadening the chemical mechanisms needed to photogenerate the copper(I) complex that ultimately initiates this reaction; scoping the capabilities of this process; elaborating techniques that enable the photopatterning of surfaces and 3D substrates with maximum precision and resolution; and developing simultaneous radical polymerization reactions that accompany the CuAAC reaction with independent control of the relative rates of the two processes. The broader impacts involve training and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, broadly disseminating research results, and starting a "redshirt" program to enlarge the pool of students qualified for a Ph.D. program and thereby providing more opportunities to diversify the graduate student body in chemical sciences and engineering.Polymers are found in many aspects of everyday life, including food packaging, structural materials for automotive and aerospace transportation, and lightweight electronic devices. This research may lead to the development of simple, robust reaction chemistries that are readily and cheaply implemented across a broad spectrum of polymer applications. By using light to control when and where the reaction proceeds, polymer networks can be formed with a great deal of three-dimensional precision. Such chemistry would impact a range of technologies including coatings, biomedical materials, and flexible electronics.