One of the goals of synthetic chemists is to acquire control over all degrees of structural complexity. One phase of our research utilizes organometallic catalysts to prepare well defined polymer structures.
Molecular topology is one of the most difficult degrees of freedom to control.
We are developing synthetic methodologies for the preparation of macrocyclic polymers that will utilize structured catalysts and incorporate the principle of topological control. Extensions of this methodology will lead to the preparation of macrocyclic catenanes and polymers with knotted topologies. We are also using these catalysts to produce structured surfaces. Organometallic catalysts are bound to a surface through an initiator group and polymerization is initiated directly from the surface. Current efforts involve the preparation of block copolymer brushes on gold surfaces and nanoparticles.