With this Renewal Award, the Chemical Structure, Dynamics, and Mechanisms Program continues to support Professor Andrzej Rajca of University of Nebraska in a project involving the synthesis and characterization of stable polyradicals and chiral conjugated systems. The polyradicals to be studied will be high-spin stable organic molecules with strong through-bond ferromagnetic coupling and the potential to serve as building blocks for organic polymers with large magnetic moments and magnetic order. The chiral conjugated molecules to be synthesized will derive their asymmetry from helical structures and are designed to provide an understanding of the principles governing the rational design of novel chiral molecules. These investigations will contribute to an understanding of the structure and property relationships in organic molecules and macromolecules that are relevant to the development of novel magnetic and optical materials.
This interdisciplinary research project, involving multi-step organic synthesis, diverse physical characterization of organic molecules, the physics of molecular magnetism, and computational chemistry, will provide students with broad training in a variety of modern research techniques.
We synthesized and characterized novel high-spin organic molecules with strong through-bond ferromagnetic coupling and with stability at room temperature. Such molecules may be viewed as potential building blocks for a purely organic polymer with very large magnetic moment and magnetic order at ambient conditions. These studies advance the developments of organic magnets and of other materials based upon high-spin organic molecules. We synthesized radical cation of carbon-sulfur [7]helicene and determined the band gaps in carbon-sulfur [n]helicenes. These results provide understanding of the principles governing the rational design of strongly chiral organic molecules and oligomers that would facilitate the development of single molecule devices and novel chiral materials. This research contributes to the understanding of structure and property relationships for organic molecules and macromolecules that are relevant to the development of novel magnetic and optical technology. This interdisciplinary research, involving multi-step organic synthesis, diverse physical characterization of organic molecules, physics of molecular magnetism, and computations, provide students with exceptional opportunities for a broad education in science. The research activities emphasize complex problem-solving skill and diverse technical skills that promote learning and prepare students for future careers. The results from this research were disseminated broadly through publication in peer-reviewed journals, presentations at conference and website, www.chem.unl.edu/rajca/rajcahome.html.
