New Strategies for Olefin Copolymerization

Stanford University, Stanford CA

Investigators

Abstract

Robert Waymouth Stanford University Proposal Title: New Strategies for Olefin Copolymerization Proposal Number: CHE-0611563 Abstract This award to Robert Waymouth of Stanford University has as its goal the discovery of new patterns of catalytic reactivity in the polymerization of olefins. A specific objective is to use what are called fluxional catalysts to produce new polymeric materials from readily available monomer feedstocks. A second objective is to develop catalysts for the copolymerization of certain types of monomers that are currently incompatible with most coordination catalysts. More specifically a combination of experimental and theoretical methods will be used to understand how these reactions occur in order to develop additional, more active catalysts. In addition new classes of catalysts capable of producing syndiotactic (stereoregular) polystyrene/alpha-olefin copolymers and block copolymers will be generated. It is anticipated 1) that development of a detailed understanding of this polymerization behavior as a function of the conformational preferences and dynamics of coordination compounds will provide a rational basis for developing new methods in catalysis, 2) that the application of reversible bond cleavage to interconvert Ti(III) and Ti(IV) catalysts will provide a new paradigm for catalysis and a new strategy for mediating oxidation/reduction equilibria in coordination complexes, and 3) that the new materials prepared will provide new opportunities for investigating how the structure of polymers influences their properties. Broader Impacts. Since the catalytic polymerization of olefins is the basis of an industry that produces over 100 billion lbs of polyolefins per year, it is anticipated that the proposed studies will have a huge scientific and economic impact. Students will be engaged in a highly interdisciplinary research area that combines organic and organometallic synthetic and mechanistic chemistry, computational methods, catalytic olefin polymerization, and the study of polymer structure and properties and thus they will get a very broad education. As in the past, Prof. Waymouth will take an active role in recruiting and mentoring underrepresented minority, disabled and female students.