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.
