Polystyrene Containing no Head to Head Units  Traditional methods for manufacturing polystyrene involve radical coupling of styrene mainchains in a head to head fashion. Importantly, the head to head linker can become thermally unstable as a result of the processing methods that are used in polystyrene derived product manufacturing. The resulting instability produces radical styrene monomers, which have unpleasant characteristics that are not pleasing to consumer senses. This technology provides a new means for generating more thermally stable polystyrene derivatives through the use of a nitroxyl-mediated polymerization reaction. This novel process allows for the development of polymers free of head to head units and have been observed to be more thermally stable than polystyrene developed through traditional methods. |
Conjugate Addition Products of Primary Amines and Activated Acceptors This technology is based on an organic synthesis method of reacting amines with alpha, beta unsaturated compounds to produce dendrimer structures. The overall reaction mechanism produces Michael addition products that include double Michael additions and vicarious Michael additions. The potential for this synthetic process lies in its flexibility to introduce new geometric/amplification, structural parameters into the core, and interior or terminal components of a dendrimer architecture. Importantly, this allows for the design or creation of new tunable dendritic properties. |
Methods of Dendritic Drugs for Controlled Release in Drug Delivery This technology enables a novel drug delivery method that utilizes dendrimers as a quantitative and controlled mechanism of delivery; biocompatible linkers with biodegradable bonding allow drug molecules to be incorporated into a dendritic structure to form a dendritic drug that consists of a known amount of drug molecules. Each layer of the cascade structure of the dendrimer is designed to contain a known amount of drug, with the largest amount at the periphery and the lowest amount at the core. The dendrimer delivery platform appears to be very flexible with application for many classes of drugs including anti-fungals, anti-inflammatory agents, anticancer drugs and anti-bacterials. The platform could be designed for diverse administration paths: oral, rectal, or parenteral, intravenous, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intraspinal, intracranial, topical, ocular, and subcutaneous routes. |
Molecules That May Have Biological Significance  This research program focuses the development of analogs of natural products, with specific emphasis on synthesizing complexes of nucleosides and nucleotides. In addition, the research probes electronic properties of molecules through the use of perflouroalkyl groups and chain length modifications for potential exploration of the biological properties of these molecules. The program is directed toward synthesizing materials that exhibit antiviral, anticancer, antisense properties and serve as bio-probes, as well as the development of new synthetic methodologies. |
Chiral Ligands For Enantioselective Catalysis  MTU researchers have developed new types of catalysts for enantioselective reactions. These catalysts are all based on several novel common planar chiral benzoferrocene precursors. They are easy to synthesize and have high enantioselectivity for a wide range of reactions such as asymmetric Heck reactions, palladium catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation (AAA) reactions, and catalytic asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions. All these reactions are important both in academic research and to the pharmaceutical industry providing cheaper medicines and significantly impacting the advancement of medical science.
Many therapeutic agents used for treating human diseases function through binding to biomolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. Because these biomolecules are asymmetric, they can differentiate the chirality of medicines. Usually, one enantiomer of a medicinal molecule has a therapeutic effect, while the other enantiomer does not and may even have adverse effects. Consequently, the development of methodologies that can produce enantiomerically pure medicines is highly desired. Of the various methods to achieve this goal, catalytic enantioselective synthesis is the most attractive, because a relatively small amount of optically pure molecules (catalysts, which are usually expensive) can produce a large amount of enantiomerically pure or enriched products. One of the crucial requirements for this method to succeed is to design the structure of the catalyst so that it can most effectively transfer its chirality to the product. Thousands of catalysts have been synthesized, and some of them have found important applications in the pharmaceutical industry and academic health-related research. |
Purification of synthetic oligonucleotides Two highly efficient, low cost methods for large scale purification of synthetic oligonucleotides have been developed through a researcher at Michigan Tech. Synthetic oligonucleotides have found wide applications in biology and medicine. With two oligonucleotide drugs on the market and more than 40 others in various stages of clinical trial, the interest in using oligonucleotides as therapeutic agents continues to grow. Consequently, the development of highly efficient and low cost methods for large scale production of oligonucleotides is desired. One of the obstacles to achieving this goal is the efficient removal of the failure sequences generated in the synthesis from the desired full length sequences. Currently used methods include gel electrophoresis, HPLC and others – all of which are high cost, require much labor and are not suitable for large scale purification. |
Frontier Carbon Materials Dr. Yap leads a very focused effort in the atomic bonding control of frontier carbon materials. The majority of his time is specifically spent improving recent innovations in the field such as growing carbon-nitride crystals at 800C and 15 atm. Approximately half of Dr. Yap’s work could be classified as highly theoretical with a 10-15 year discovery horizon and the other half being directed in the general direction of a more near term application (5 year horizon). |
Coatings for Carbon Nanotubes Research allows attachment of polymers to carbon nanotubes in a manner that preserves their conductivity and strength while permitting the nanotubes to support sensors. Functional conjugated polymers are designed and synthesized to modify carbon nanotube electrodes via strong pi-pi stacking interaction between the polymers and the nanotubes. Artificial and biological receptors, such as enzyme, antibody, and single strand DNA can be incorporated into the synthetic functional conjugated polymers. Electrochemistry [labeled biosensors] is employed to detect chemical or biological recognition. |
Coatings Research Institute  The CRI's two-fold mission is to be a leading academic organization that develops relevant scientific knowledge for understanding and for expanding the science and technology of paints, coatings, inks, adhesives and related nano-based materials. Areas of expertise represented in the CRI include, among others, coating technologies and formulation, polymer modification, cross-linking mechanisms and enabling technologies such as nanotechnology (nanoparticle materials), polymer structure/property relationships, characterization, vibrational spectroscopy (Raman and FT-IR), thermal analysis (DSC,DMA,TGA, DEA) and nanotribology. |
NMR Spectrometer With support from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities: Departmental Multi-User Instrumentation (CRIF:MU) Program, the Department of Chemistry at Eastern Michigan University has acquired a 400 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) Spectrometer. This instrument permits the initiation of projects not possible currently and will lead to greater interaction of faculty in Chemistry with those in the College of Technology and Biology. Research projects to benefit from the NMR spectrometer include studies on nitrogen-phosphorus flame retardants, natural product synthesis, nitrogen heterocycle synthesis, and organic and heterocycle synthesis. This instrument helps attract research-oriented faculty and improve the learning experience for graduate and undergraduate student researchers. The formal teaching program will be immediately and positively affected in a senior laboratory class on synthesis. |
Interactions in Open/Shell Clusters This work involves ab initio studies of intermolecular forces in clusters of open-shell moieties. Three classes of chemically interesting systems are being examined, including pre-reactive complexes,clusters and complexes of transition metals with He. The work is being carried out in collaboration with co-PI Grzegorz Chalasinski, of the University of Warsaw in Poland, who also holds an appointment as Visiting Professor at Oakland. Broader impacts expected from theis work is expected in the industrial control of chemical reactions, in nanotechnology through the study of metallic clusters and, possibly, in long-term effects on the development of quantum computing devices. Other broader impacts are occurring through the extensive work of the PI with undergraduates at Oakland University. |
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