Systematic Studies on Photocatalytic Polymer Brushes Particles for User-friendly Heterogeneous Photoredox Catalysis

Project Description

The objective of this project is a systematic study on heterogeneous catalyst design for the light-mediated synthesis of pristine biocompatible polymers for biomedical applications. Preliminary work highlights the promise of covalently tethered photocatalysts (PC@SiOx) in organic and macromolecular synthesis. However, a fundamental understanding of PC@SiOx catalyst design parameters is missing. This includes how performance is influenced by PC grafting density, steric hindrance of catalytic sites, or their chemical environment. Establishing this knowledge has the potential to place photocatalysis in the hands of non-experts and provide interdisciplinary access to facile synthesis of precise small- and macromolecules. To this end, we will leverage the BioPACIFIC MIP high throughput capabilities to systematically determine how photocatalyst incorporation and steric hindrance at the surface influence heterogeneous photocatalysis. Further, we will study the role of the chemical environment on catalytic properties and evaluate whether hydrophilic environments can afford heterogeneous photocatalysis in water. If successful, this work will afford light-mediated synthesis of pristine small molecules and water-soluble polymers for biomedical applications that are free of catalyst impurities. The developed robust catalysts are shelf-stable and recyclable to allow facile access to complex molecules through simple syntheses.

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