Publication Highlights

Research Field 1

Engineering the morphology of hydrogen-bonded comb-shaped supramolecular polymers: from solution self-assembly to confined assembly.

Chen, S., et al. Polymer Chemistry 2020 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/D0PY00570C.

Herein, comb-shaped hydrophobic supramolecular polymer architectures are constructed trough H-bonding interaction, subsequently challenging the formation of nanostructures under 3D confinement. Benefitting from the weak and dynamic nature of H-bonds, one building block is selectively removed while the other is maintained, affording specific nanostructures, including hollow spheres without resorting to invasive chemical degradation and cleavage. Reproduced by permission of The Royal Society of Chemistry.

„Honig“ bis „Gummi“: Die variablen Eigenschaften des Polyisobutylen. 100 Jahre Makromolekulare Chemie.

Binder, W. H., Faszination Chemie, die Informationsplattform der GDCh 2020 https://faszinationchemie.de/makromolekulare-chemie/news/honig-bis-gummi-die-variablen-eigenschaften-des-polyisobutylen-1/

Als Polyisobutylen (PIB) erstmals durch Polymerisation von Isobuten (IB) mittels Schwefelsäure hergestellt wurde, hatte der Polymerchemiker Hermann Staudinger noch acht Jahre Zeit, das Licht der Welt zu erblicken. Die uns heute vertraute (molekulare) Kettenstruktur des PIBs war damals noch unbekannt, ebenso wie sein technischer Nutzen. Seine Eigenschaften kann der Chemiker* variabel einstellen und so dient es für unterschiedliche Anwendungen: ob „kulinarisch erlebbar“ für Kaugummis, als Butylkautschuk oder in der Medizin. Reproduced with permission. Copyright athee23/pixabay.com

Nitrogen-doped graphene stabilized copper nanoparticles for Huisgen [3+2] cycloaddition “click” chemistry.

Siva Prasanna Sanka, R. V., et al. Chemical Communications 2019, 55 (44), 6249-6252, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C9CC02057H.

Nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (NRGO) stabilized copper nanoparticles are designed to assist Cu(i)-catalyzed Huisgen [3+2] cycloaddition “click” chemistry (CuAAC). The CuAAC at low temperature without any external additive (oxidizing/reducing agent) with high stability and recyclability is achieved. Reproduced by permission of The Royal Society of Chemistry.

The CuAAC: Principles, Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Catalysts, and Novel Developments and Applications.

Neumann, S., et al. Macromolecular Rapid Communications 2019, 1900359, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/marc.201900359.

The copper-catalyzed azide/alkyne cycloaddition reaction (CuAAC) has emerged as the most useful ?click? chemistry. Polymer science has profited enormously from CuAAC by its simplicity, ease, scope, applicability and efficiency. The CuAAC with a focus on homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts, ligands, anchimeric assistance, and basic chemical principles, ligand design and acceleration are discussed. Reproduced by permission of WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Evaluation of Ring Expansion-Controlled Radical Polymerization System by AFM Observation.

Narumi, A., et al. ACS Macro Letters 2019, 8 (6), 634-638, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.9b00308.

We here present a direct link between the reaction mechanisms for the ring-expansion “vinyl” polymerization system and atomic force microscopy (AFM) observations. The relationship between the molecular chain lengths and the cyclic versus linear morphologies is highlighted. Reproduced with permission. Copyright 2019©, American Chemical Society.

Synthesis and Aggregation of Polymer-Amyloid β Conjugates.

Evgrafova, Z., et al. Macromolecular Rapid Communications 2019, 1900378, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/marc.201900378.

The synthesis of polymer-peptide conjugates composed of the amyloidogenic Alzheimer peptide, Aβ1-40, and poly(oligo(ethylene glycol)m acrylates) (m = 2,3) with different molecular weights (Mn = 1400-6600 g mol-1) is presented. Aggregation of these Aβ1-40 conjugates is accelerated upon attaching the polymer. Reproduced with permission. Copyright 2019©, WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

CuAAC-Based Click Chemistry in Self-Healing Polymers.

Döhler, D., et al. Accounts of Chemical Research 2017, 50 (10), 2610-2620, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.accounts.7b00371.

Click chemistry has emerged as a significant tool for materials science, organic chemistry, and bioscience. The use of the CuAAC in self-healing systems, most of all the careful design of copper-based catalysts linked to additives as well as the chemical diversity of substrates, has led to an enormous potential of applications of this singular reaction. The examples reported here describe chemical concepts to realize more efficient and faster click reactions in self-healing polymeric materials, via enhanced chain diffusion in (hyper)branched polymers, autocatalysis, or internal chelation concepts enable efficient click cross-linking already at 5 °C. We have designed special CuAAC click methods for chemical reporting and visualization systems based on the detection of ruptured capsules via a fluorogenic click reaction and we have prepared polymeric Cu(I)–biscarbene complexes to detect (mechanical) stress within self-healing polymeric materials via a triggered fluorogenic reaction, thus using a destructive force for a constructive chemical response. Reproduced with permission. Copyright 2017©, American Chemical Society.

Hierarchical Micelles via Polyphilic Interactions: Hydrogen-Bonded Supramolecular Dendrons and Double Immiscible Polymers.

Chen, S., et al. Nano Letters 2016, 16 (2), 1491-1496, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b05203.

We report a simple strategy to form three-phase segregated hierarchical micelles via a counterbalanced phase segregation/self-assembly process. We do have designed and prepared mid- and α,β -barbiturate (Ba) functionalized poly(n-butyl acrylates), Ba-(PnBuA-Ba)2, together with a series of heterocomplementary α,β -Hamilton wedge (HW) functionalized polymers via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (co)polymerization. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrates a unique, uncommon phase behavior showing remarkable three-phase segregated hierarchical micelles, indicative of the desired micellar multicompartments. Reproduced with permission. Copyright 2016©, American Chemical Society.

Orthogonal Modification of Polymers via Thio–Bromo “Click” Reaction and Supramolecular Chemistry: An Easy Method Toward Head-to-Tail Self-Assembled Supramolecular Polymers.

Chen, S., et al. ACS Macro Letters 2015, 4, 48-52, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/mz500747t.

The successful synthesis of the heterotelechelic H-bonding polymer Ba-PnBuA-HW (Mn,NMR = 7700 g/mol, Mn,SEC = 7500 g/mol, PDI = 1.25) was accomplished. Self-assembly in a head-to-tail fashion driven by multiple H-bondings in solution and in the bulk was proven by temperature-dependent 1H NMR, concentration-dependent DOSY NMR studies, and rheological measurements. Reproduced with permission. Copyright 2015©, American Chemical Society.

Self Healing Materials from V- and H-Shaped Supramolecular Architectures.

Chen, S., et al. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2015, 54 (35), 10188-10192, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.201504136.

We report the rational design of novel V-shaped barbiturate (Ba) functionalized soft–hard–soft triblock copolymers with a reversible supramolecular healing motif (Ba) in the central part of the hard block, which undergoes autonomic repair at 30 °C. Self-assembling with heterocomplementary α,ω-Hamilton wedge (HW) functionalized polyisoprene (PI; HW-PI-HW), results in an H-shaped supramolecular architecture with efficient self-healing capabilities that can recover up to around 95 % of the original mechanical performance at 30 °C within 24 h. Reproduced with permission. Copyright 2015©, WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.