New Concepts in Lewis Acidity, Catalysis, and Polymer Science: Functional Main Group Cages

路易斯酸、催化和高分子科学的新概念：功能主族笼

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-05574
• 负责人: Chitnis, Saurabh
• 金额: $ 2.48万
• 依托单位: Dalhousie University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=747823
• 关键词: New; Concepts; Lewis; Acidity; Catalysis

The elements of the periodic table combine with one another to give molecules which are the building blocks of our material world. Defining the shape, size, and properties of these blocks is an essential first step towards creating new useful materials such as plastics, catalysts, and fuels. Chemists have traditionally focused on the organic elements (C, N, H, O) as a source of useful molecules, in part due to the historic reliance upon organic element-rich feedstocks (e.g. petroleum and natural gas). The remaining 77 or so stable elements of the periodic table have received less attention by comparison, despite the fact that many of them are very abundant on earth (e.g. silicon). With the aid of this Discovery Grant, the Chitnis group will begin operations at Dalhousie University in July 2018 and establish a program of extracting exciting functional properties from the abundant and often benign elements of the p-block of the periodic table. One targeted property will be selective binding and modification of small molecules that are found in industrial emissions or in natural or anthropogenic toxins. To achieve this, the group will make liquids that contain dissolved inorganic cages, making them porous (like a sponge), and then enhance the binding abilities (Lewis acidity) of the cages. Depending on the size of the cages in the liquid, these porous liquids will bind different molecules. We will also discover new catalysts for safer and more efficient manufacturing of commodity chemicals and pharmaceuticals. For this purpose, we will focus on the chemistry of bismuth cages as this element is inexpensive and nontoxic. Lastly we will link together inorganic cage molecules into polymers that could one day be incorporated into electronic devices as smart responsive materials. In particular we will target charged polymers which will exhibit good water solubility and conductivity, making them potentially useful in both biological and electronic applications. In summary our research will exert control over the shape, size and electronic properties of inorganic cages to devise useful chemical systems for incorporation into technologies of daily relevance.This research program will also train undergraduate and graduate students to be chemists who can independently conceive, execute, and communicate scientific projects, using state-of-the-art equipment. The skills developed through this training are essential components of a broad range of careers in government, industry or academia. The creation of a scientifically-literate workforce is essential for sustaining the pace of innovation needed for Canada to remain a technologically advanced nation.

元素周期表的元素相互结合，为分子提供了我们物质世界的基础。定义这些块的形状，大小和特性是创建新有用材料（例如塑料，催化剂和燃料）的重要第一步。传统上，化学家将有机元素（C，N，H，O）作为有用分子的来源，部分原因是历史上依赖有机元素丰富的原料（例如石油和天然气）。相比之下，其余的77个左右的元素元素受到了比较的关注，尽管其中许多人在地球上非常丰富（例如硅）。借助这项发现赠款，Chitnis集团将于2018年7月在Dalhousie University开始运营，并建立了一个计划，以从周期表的P块的丰富和良性元素中提取令人兴奋的功能性能。一个有针对性的特性将是在工业排放或天然或人为毒素中发现的小分子的选择性结合和修饰。为了实现这一目标，该组将制作含有溶解的无机笼子的液体，使其成为多孔（如海绵），然后增强笼子的结合能力（刘易斯酸度）。根据液体中笼子的大小，这些多孔液体将结合不同的分子。我们还将发现新的催化剂，以更安全，更有效地制造商品化学品和药品。为此，我们将重点关注鞭毛笼的化学，因为该元素廉价且无毒。最后，我们将无机笼子分子与聚合物链接在一起，这些分子有一天可以将其作为智能响应材料纳入电子设备。特别是我们将靶向带电的聚合物，该聚合物将表现出良好的水溶性和电导率，从而使它们在生物和电子应用中有可能有用。总之，我们的研究将对无机笼子的形状，大小和电子特性产生控制权，以设计有用的化学系统，以融入日常相关技术中。该研究计划还将培训本科生和研究生成为可以独立构思，执行和使用现行的科学项目的化学家。通过这项培训发展的技能是政府，工业或学术界各种职业的重要组成部分。创建科学识字的劳动力对于维持加拿大保持技术先进所需的创新速度至关重要。