| Abstract |
Reversibility is the key property of chemical reactions. While in most cases a reaction is forced to reach full conversion from starting material to product, researchers in last decades have been fascinated by the molecules that are fully stable in two chemically different forms that could be interconverted between each other. These molecular switches are controlled by the action of light, change of pH, solvent or temperature.[1] Many molecules with excellent switching properties, such as azobenzenes, diarylethenes, fulgides and spiropyrans have been developed for photochemical switching.[2] A special class of molecular switches can be interconverted by a redox process, however, only a few systems have been described so far.[3]
The candidate will develop and synthetize novel types of redox-driven molecular switches and tune their properties (stability, solubility, potential window). The switches will be investigated by electrochemical and spectroscopic methods and will be further utilized in various applications, such as redox sensors with molecular memory, programmable ion exchange stationary phase and systems for manipulation of charges and counterions. They will be immobilized on surfaces of polymers to construct smart materials with unique properties.
Highly motivated and skilful candidate will have the opportunity to extend his/her graduate training in physical and organic chemistry by learning electrochemical, photochemical and advanced spectroscopic methods.
References
[1] B. L. Feringa, W. R. Browne, Molecular Switches, Wiley, 2011.
[2] J. García-Amorós, D. Velasco, Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2012, 8, 1003-1017.
[3] a) H. Higuchi, E. Ohta, H. Kawai, K. Fujiwara, T. Tsuji, T. Suzuki, J. Org. Chem. 2003, 68, 6605-6610; b) T. Suzuki, Y. Ishigaki, T. Iwai, H. Kawai, K. Fujiwara, H. Ikeda, Y. Kano, K. Mizuno, Chem. Eur. J. 2009, 15, 9434-9441; c) T. Ohtake, H. Tanaka, T. Matsumoto, M. Kimura, A. Ohta, J. Org. Chem. 2014, 79, 6590-6602; d) T. Ohtake, H. Tanaka, T. Matsumoto, A. Ohta, M. Kimura, Langmuir 2014, 30, 14680-14685; e) J.-i. Nishida, T. Miyagawa, Y. Yamashita, Org. Lett. 2004, 6, 2523-2526.
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