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Project

Design, synthesis and molecular read-out of information-containing sequence-encoded macromolecules derived from a hexadecimal library of end-group functionalized acrylate dimers. (R-7217)

For decades, synthetic polymers have been used for various commodity or specialty products. Recently, new exciting classes of precision polymers have been identified that consist of unique sequences of monomers that can be considered as information-containing macromolecules. These promising materials can potentially be used for emerging applications such as data storage or molecular recognition. The aim of the project is to develop such macromolecules by using controlled radical polymerization techniques in combination with protecting-group free chemoselective iterative ligation. First a hexadecimal library of acrylic dimers is prepared via controlled polymerization, secondly the functionalized dimers are selectively coupled using AB+CD approaches. Soluble supports are applied to attach step-by-step new dimers to obtain a desired sequence, which in a later moment are cleaved from the soluble support. The obtained sequence-encoded macromolecules are analyzed and the read-out is tested preferentially by means of mass spectrometry and NMR. Additionally, other emerging sequencing techniques might need to be optimized for molecular read-out. Furthermore, the deliberate erasing of the sequence upon specific physical or chemical triggers is investigated. Finally, target applications such as molecular identification tags or chain folding points in more complex homo- and copolymers, blends or networks are investigated for these auspicious type of sequence-encoded molecules.
Date:1 Oct 2016 →  30 Sep 2020
Keywords:CONDUCTING POLYMERS, CONJUGATED POLYMERS, POLYMER NETWORKS
Disciplines:Organic chemistry, Process engineering, Polymeric materials