AJ Boydston, Associate Professor of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison presents “Metal-Free Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization” on Friday, January 17th, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. in Anderson Hall 121.
A major synthetic effort of our program centers on the development of photoredox-mediated, metal-free methods for polymer synthesis. Recently, we discovered that visible light photoredox catalysis is a viable approach for conducting ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of strained cycloalkenes. The divergence from metal-mediated ROMP introduces a new mechanistic theme with unique synthetic outcomes. Since the initial discovery that anodic oxidation of vinyl ethers could initiate ROMP of norbornenes, we have engaged in mechanistic studies, exploration of functional group compatibility, copolymerization strategies, and characterization of the materials properties for this polymerization. In this seminar, I will present our fundamental studies on the mechanism of this polymerization and updates on our applications-oriented research toward commercialization.