Synthesis and structural control in organo-main group chemistry: design and application of homogeneous catalysts

我们正在建立制造分子的新方法，其中硅或磷的存在将使它们在一系列实际应用中有用。我们正在开发的方法涉及这些杂原子（非碳原子）如何、在何处以及以何种效果并入分子中。我们的主要研究目标包括以下内容：（A）我们对制造含有长链硅原子的聚合物材料感兴趣。 与微芯片中的纯硅不同，这些聚合物具有有机的碳基侧链连接到每个硅上，这使得它们可溶。 如果多晶硅链可以通过我们提出的修改来防止扭曲，以纳入环状子结构，它们将传导电子，表现为“分子线”。这种可加工的导电材料对微电子工业具有极大的兴趣。我们正在开发的方法的一个关键部分涉及金属催化剂的研究，其主要功能是将两个含硅分子结合在一起并将它们连接起来，这样产生的双硅片段就可以很容易地结合到环结构或长链中（如上所述）。我们对催化剂机理的阐述将允许控制合成具有高度特定结构的新的反应性分子。(B)我们还在开发新的催化剂，用于制备作为金属配体的含磷分子，通过磷杂原子与金属原子牢固结合。这些配体赋予所得金属络合物稳定性、溶解性和“形状”，其化学反应性可以通过配体结构的受控变化来指导。该项目的挑战是了解催化剂如何最好地将新配体分子的两半连接在一起，以便我们可以精确控制其最终形状。该项目的产品将用于精细化工和医药行业。

We are establishing new methods for making molecules in which the presence of either silicon or phosphorus will render them useful in a range of practical applications. The methodology we are developing is concerned with how, where, and to what effect these heteroatoms (non-carbon atoms) are incorporated in the molecules. Our major research goals include the following:(A) We are interested in the manufacture of polymer materials containing long chains of silicon atoms.  Unlike the pure silicon found in microchips, these polymers have organic, carbon-based side-chains attached to each silicon, which make them soluble.  If the polysilicon chains can be prevented from twisting, through our proposed modifications to incorporate cyclic substructures, they will conduct electrons, behaving as "molecular wires". Such processable, conducting materials are of enormous interest to the microelectronics industry. A critical part of the methods we are developing involves the study of metal catalysts whose primary function is to bring two silicon-containing molecules together and join them, in such a way that the resulting, two-silicon fragments can then easily be incorporated into ring structures or long chains (as described above). Our elaboration of the catalyst mechanism will permit the controlled synthesis of new, reactive molecules with highly specific structures.(B) We are also developing new catalysts for the preparation of phosphorus-containing molecules that act as ligands for metals, binding strongly to metal atoms through the phosphorus heteroatom. These ligands impart stability, solubility and "shape" to the resulting metal complexes, whose chemical reactivity can be directed through controlled variation of the ligand structure. The challenge in this project is learning how the catalyst can best join together two halves of a new ligand molecule, so that we can precisely control its resulting shape. The products of this project will find use in the fine chemicals and pharmaceueticals industries.