Developing nanometer scale, atomically precise metallo-catalysts with Molecular Lego
We propose to create atomically precise, highly robust, nanometer scale macromolecules that organize biomimetic metal binding groups in designed three-dimensional pockets to accelerate specific polymerization reactions. These atomically precise catalysts will create atomically precise polymers with improved mechanical and environmental properties from renewable building blocks. We seek to create and study nanometer scale catalysts that mimic metallo-enzymes in their activity and selectivity because these larger catalysts will be able to make more extensive non-covalent contacts with the transition state of the growing polymer. These catalysts will have extended lifetimes because they will better protect the metals and higher activity because additional reactive groups can be brought in close contact with the active site to enhance reactivity. They will be far more tolerant to extremes of temperature and will not denature in non-aqueous solvents because they are held together by multiple, strong, covalent bonds. Our approach to catalysts could be used to develop catalysts to replace noble metal-based catalysts when targeting other reactions, because the geometry of the active site enforced by the Molecular Lego scaffolding will access new reactivity, mimicking how nature uses earth abundant metals for much of its catalysis. We will initially target Lewis acid-based catalysts that assemble aliphatic polyesters with improved stereoselectivity, tacticity and complex alternation of monomers. Aliphatic polyesters have received growing attention as attractive, environmentally benign, and sustainable alternatives to polymers developed from petroleum feedstocks. Aliphatic polyesters are environmentally friendly because they undergo facile hydrolytic degradation to benign products, and they have excellent properties and high biocompatibility. We will assemble these catalysts using unique “Spiroligomers” (aka Molecular Lego) chemistry developed in the Schafmeister group combined with the organometallic chemistry expertise of the Dobereiner group. Polymers are an attractive synthetic target of nanoscale atomically precise catalysts because their resulting structure, stereochemistry and tacticity has profound impact on their properties (crystalline vs amorphous) and provides a readout of the catalytic mechanism. Polymer synthesis also serves as an example of “atomically precise manufacturing” where atomically precise nanoscale catalysts construct polymers with atomic precision at increasing length scales.