Functional metallo-supramolecular polyelectrolyte systems: Synthesis, structure and properties in solution

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Ulrich S. Schubert
• Subject Area: Preparatory and Physical Chemistry of Polymers ; Polymer Materials
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 448712046

In the proposed joint project between the two groups from polymer chemistry (Schubert) and polymer physics (Tsvetkov) the preparation of charged side-chain metallopolymers and their molecular and conformational analysis in solution is targeted. The applicants aim for a fundamental understanding of how the various structural parameters of the metallopolymers (nature of the metal center, presence of charges, counterions, etc.) contribute to their solution properties. For this purpose, three different types of metallopolymers will be in focus of interest: Metallopolymers with pending terpyridine complexes, metallocene/metallocenium sites and metal-carbonyl complexes. Such polymers are of significant importance regarding, for instance, (photo)catalytic, optoelectronic, nanotechnological or biomedical applications. However, in-depth investigations correlating their performance to their molecular and conformational structure have not yet been made. The modularity of synthesis, combining controlled radical polymerization techniques and metal-to-ligand coordination chemistry, will allow an accurate preparation of a systematic set of metallopolymer libraries (Schubert group) required for the analysis by the various hydrodynamic and optical methods available in the Tsvetkov group. The applicants have agreed cooperation with two external partners to further utilize the synthesized metallopolymers to fabricate bimetallic nanoparticles for data-storage applications (Wong group, Hong Kong, P.R. China) and as photoactive antimicrobial metallodrugs (Schatzschneider group, Würzburg, Germany).Finally, interpolyelectrolyte complexes, the supramolecular associates of the prepared polycationic metallopolymers and natural or synthetic polyanions, will be assembled and characterized accordingly.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Russia
• Partner Organisation: Russian Foundation for Basic Research, until 3/2022
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Dr. Nikolay V. Tsvetkov, until 3/2022