Development of Controlled Polymerization for Hierarchically Organized Conjugated Polymers

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，北伊利诺伊大学化学和生物化学系的Evgueni Nesterov教授正在开发用于构建共轭聚合物的新合成路线。共轭聚合物具有特殊的化学键，使它们能够导电。本研究采用钯基催化剂制备了共轭聚合物。钯用于加速聚合过程，使起始材料更容易转化为所需产品。研究活动的重点是开发用于共轭聚合物构建的新分子构建块，以及了解这种钯催化反应的工作原理。该项目的结果有可能扩大可以可控方式制备的共轭聚合物结构的范围，这对开发更有效的传感装置具有重要意义。通过在K-12公立学校实施化学绘图计划，这项研究正在产生更广泛的影响。特别强调的是表现不佳的学校，那里的学生很少有机会学习现代科学，也没有接触到实际的科学经验。本研究的重点是钯催化的铃木-宫浦催化转移聚合（SCTP）作为一种控制链生长聚合的通用方法的合理发展，以及扩大其在制备广泛共轭聚合物方面的应用。与该项目相关的主要目标有三个。第一个目标集中在结构和机制的研究钯催化外部启动SCTP的目的是开发一个普遍适用的聚合协议。在第二个目标中，开发的方法用于制备和研究顺序控制的分层组织共轭聚合物结构。最后一个目标集中在研究将SCTP扩展到更大的单体多样性的可能性，以及开发表面引发聚合的有效途径，以制备具有先进结构和形态控制的薄膜。将阶梯生长聚合技术扩展到共轭聚合物，为合成大范围的分子量和分散度可控的半导体聚合物打开了大门。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Evgueni Nesterov of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Northern Illinois University is developing new synthetic routes for the construction of conjugated polymers. Conjugated polymers have special chemical bonds that enable them to conduct electricity. In this research, conjugated polymers are prepared using catalysts based on palladium. Palladium is used to speed up the polymerization process, making it easier to convert starting materials to desired product. The research activities are focused on developing new molecular building blocks for the construction of conjugated polymers and well as understanding of how this palladium-catalyzed reaction works. The results of this project have the potential to broaden the scope of conjugated polymer structures that can be prepared in a controlled manner, which is of significant importance for the development of more efficient sensing devices. The research is having a broader impact through the implementation of a chemical drawing program for K-12 public schools. Particular emphasis is placed on underperforming schools where students have few opportunities to learn about modern science and not exposed to hands-on science experiences. This research is focused on rational development of palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura catalyst-transfer polymerization (SCTP) as a general method of controlled chain-growth polymerization as well as the expansion of its application for the preparation of a broad range of conjugated polymers. There are three main objectives associated with the project. The first objective focuses on structural and mechanistic studies of palladium-catalyzed externally initiated SCTP with the purpose of developing a generally applicable polymerization protocol. In the second objective, the developed methodology is used to prepare and study sequence-controlled hierarchically organized conjugated polymers architectures. The last aim concentrates on investigating the possibility to extend SCTP towards larger diversity of monomers and also development of efficient routes towards surface-initiated polymerization for the preparation of thin films with advanced control of structure and morphology. Expansion of the step-growth polymerization technique to conjugated polymers opens doors for the synthesis of a large range of well-defined semiconducting polymers with controlled molecular weights and dispersities.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.