Berkeley The focus of this research is the preparation of phenylenes employing methodology in which transition metals are used to assemble highly energetic alkyne precursors which are then oligomerized to produce phenylenes with linear, angular, C3-symmetric, circular, bent and zigzag topologies. Structurally significant discoveries have included benzene rings `devoid of aromaticity` and the observation of strong curvature. Access to spherical and planar hydrocarbons as well as materials such as carbon nets and graphitic `onions` is potentially available through this approach. With this renewal award, the Synthetic Organic Program is supporting the research of Dr. K. Peter C. Vollhardt of the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley. Professor Vollhardt will focus his work on preparing a class of novel benzenoid hydrocarbons known as phenylenes. The phenylenes contain structures in which fused cyclobutadienes alternate with benzene rings to afford systems that have potential as organic molecular magnetic and/or conducting materials, and serve as precursors to a plethora of other novel classes of highly energetic compounds with novel topologies.
