To date, methods to engineer conjugated polymers with precise positioning of functional groups (e.g., donors and/or acceptors, side chain functionalities) are generally step-growth methods and lead to ill-defined architectures, impeding both crystallization and self-assembly. Other methods, such as iterative synthesis, are promising and achieve well-defined materials, yet can be time-consuming and often require extensive product purification. Balanced cost- and time-effective strategies that are scalable and amenable to ‘plug-and-play’ are needed to access novel materials that can facilitate the development of novel devices. Herein, we details efforts to engineer well-defined conjugated materials inspired by [2.2]cyclophanes. Our approach can be transformative as it provides access to previously envisioned, yet never realized materials through scalable methods, coupled with a plug-and-play strategy. To date, methods to engineer conjugated polymers with precise positioning of functional groups (e.g.. donors and/or acceptors, side chain functionalities) are generally step-growth methods and lead to ill-defined architectures, impeding both crystallization and self-assembly. Other methods, such as iterative synthesis, are promising and achieve well-defined materials, yet can be time-consuming and often require extensive product purification. Balanced cost- and time-effective strategies that are scalable and amenable to ‘plug-and-play’ are needed to access novel materials that can facilitate the development of novel devices. Herein, we details efforts to engineer well-defined conjugated materials inspired by [2.2]cyclophanes. Our approach can be transformative as it provides access to previously envisioned, yet never realized materials through scalable methods, coupled with a plug-and-play strategy. Through careful design and bottom-up approaches, we envision engineering robust materials wherein molecular structure, electronic structure, and, eventually, self-assembly properties can be aptly tuned using a balance of synthesis and directional assembly.

Synthesis of [2.2]paracyclophane-inspired materials through ring-opening metathesis polymerization

256th National Meeting (2018)

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