Dr. Andrzeij Sygula Research
Dr. Sygula research is on polycyclic hydrocarbons called buckybowls. Due to their non-planarity, these moleules resemble fragments of fullerene, hence the name buckybowl. The smallest buckybowl to date is coronnulene, a non-planar hydrocarbon made up of five overlapping 1, 3-cyclohexadiene rings figure 1. The synthesis of coronnulene in lab is very challenging primarily because of the stress associated with the non-plannar molecule. Dr. Sygula’s lab accidentally came across of new method of synthesis. The new approach is relatively simple and has consequently been the main source of coronnulene for the lab. From coronnulene, Dr. Sygula’s group has synthesized more elaborate buckybowls that can serve molecular receptors or tweezers. …show more content…
sygula’s discovery, coronnulene was prepared via flash vacuum pyrolysis. In this technique, the low pressure of the vacuum ensures that the molecules in the gaseous phase do not interact, which in turn prevents polymerization or any other aggregation of some sort. The disadvantage of this method, however, is that it does not accommodate nonvolatile substrates and it is known to produce low yields of the product. A simpler route for coronnulene synthesis revealed by the lab involves the coupling of dibromomethyl groups attached on aromatic rings of fluoranthene molecules in the presence of dioxane, alkaline conditions and reflux. High yields of coronnulene (around 80%) are observed Figure 2. From Dr. Sygula’s presentation, it was shown that bromine groups on the buckybowl can be eliminated by a reaction of zinc/potassium iodide in
Dr. Sygula research is on polycyclic hydrocarbons called buckybowls. Due to their non-planarity, these moleules resemble fragments of fullerene, hence the name buckybowl. The smallest buckybowl to date is coronnulene, a non-planar hydrocarbon made up of five overlapping 1, 3-cyclohexadiene rings figure 1. The synthesis of coronnulene in lab is very challenging primarily because of the stress associated with the non-plannar molecule. Dr. Sygula’s lab accidentally came across of new method of synthesis. The new approach is relatively simple and has consequently been the main source of coronnulene for the lab. From coronnulene, Dr. Sygula’s group has synthesized more elaborate buckybowls that can serve molecular receptors or tweezers. …show more content…
sygula’s discovery, coronnulene was prepared via flash vacuum pyrolysis. In this technique, the low pressure of the vacuum ensures that the molecules in the gaseous phase do not interact, which in turn prevents polymerization or any other aggregation of some sort. The disadvantage of this method, however, is that it does not accommodate nonvolatile substrates and it is known to produce low yields of the product. A simpler route for coronnulene synthesis revealed by the lab involves the coupling of dibromomethyl groups attached on aromatic rings of fluoranthene molecules in the presence of dioxane, alkaline conditions and reflux. High yields of coronnulene (around 80%) are observed Figure 2. From Dr. Sygula’s presentation, it was shown that bromine groups on the buckybowl can be eliminated by a reaction of zinc/potassium iodide in