Investigation of complex molecular systems depends on our ability to correlate physical measurements with molecular structure. Interpretation of studies that rely on synthetic polymers is generally limited by their heterogeneity; i.e., there is variation in the number and arrangement of the monomeric building blocks that have been incorporated. Superior physics and biology can be performed with...

A Blatter radical-containing polymer backbone is synthesized via copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) and consecutive ring-opening metathesis polymerization. For this, an alkyne-functionalized radical used for the described CuAAC, yielding a polymerizable derivative of radical. The resulting electrochemically investigated in cyclic voltammetry experiments, paving way possible uti...

An atom-economical purification protocol, using solution phase processing via ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) has been developed for the synthesis of tricyclic sultams. This chromatography-free method allows for convenient isolation of reductive-Heck products and reclamation of excess starting material via sequestration involving metathesis catalysts and a catalyst-armed Si-surface.

The complex (η(5)-C(5)H(5))Ir(η(4)-C(6)H(6)) reacts with Grubbs' catalyst to give a novel polyacetylene consisting of cyclopentadienyliridium bound s-cis butadiene moieties separated by C=C linkages. A crystal structure of the pentamethylcyclopentadienyl analog establishes a strong structural analogy with norbornadiene, a classical ROMP monomer.

Norbornenyl cyclic elastin-like peptides were polymerized via ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) to generate thermally responsive brush polymers. The thermally-responsive nature of the materials could be attenuated by the addition of a proteolytic enzyme that causes the cyclic peptide side chains to be linearized.

The synthesis of polynorbornene by ring opening metathesis polymerizations (ROMP) in the presence of 2 nd generation Grubbs catalyst-functionalized nanotube initiators, is reported. A full characterization of Grubbs catalyst-functionalized nanotubes was performed by FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) and TG-DTGMS (Thermogravimetrical Analysis coupled with Mass Spectrometer), in orde...