CATALYST DESIGN FOR REDOX SWITCHABLE POLYMERIZATION

With the support of the Chemical Catalysis Program in the Division of Chemistry, Professors Diaconescu and Alexandrova at the University of California at Los Angeles are studying design principles for catalyst development (catalysts are chemical additives that help a reaction occur or proceed more rapidly) by combining theoretical and experimental methodologies. The majority of syntheses are multistep and require several different catalysts to achieve reasonable overall yields.

This feature requires time and energy, especially if extensive purification of intermediates is required. In contrast, catalytic systems that are reversibly tuned using external stimuli offer opportunities to carry out multiple transformations in a single step with the same catalyst. Such systems are referred to as “switchable catalysts”.

Currently, catalysts that are able to perform in this manner are triggered using prompts that range from light to electrons, protons, and even other molecules (molecular recognition). The Diaconescua and Alexandrova groups are developing redox switchable polymerization catalysts for the formation of biodegradable copolymers by combining machine learning with experiments to generate new polymer structures.

In addition to contributing new catalysts and catalyst designs, this project is contributing to the development of human resources in science, technology, and engineering through the education of postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, undergraduates, and high school students including students from diverse backgrounds. By combining their expertise, Professors Diaconescu and Alexandrova are providing students with unique opportunities to learn about the controlled synthesis of polymers, factors that determine the properties of materials and polymers, and the power of machine learning in catalysis and materials science.

Professors Diaconescu and Alexandrova are combining theoretical and experimental expertise to design redox switchable polymerization catalysts for the generation of biodegradable polymers. In addition to positively impacting the environment by combining multiple catalytic reactions into a single step, the proposed work is generating biodegradable polymers that have improved properties.

Ultimately, this work will lead to biodegradable polymers that are competitive with polymers that come from petroleum derived precursors. The present project is benefitting society by promoting interdisciplinary research, strengthening our fundamental knowledge of catalysis, and generating useful biodegradable polymers.

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.