Organic Chemistry: Liquid Crystal Synthesis, New Synthetic Methodology Development, Heterocylic Materials

Our research is mainly focused on the synthesis of advanced self-organizing organic materials for all-optical applications such as ferroelectric and antiferroelectric displays, and optical interconnects for telecommunications transmissions. The work carried out is unusually diverse and involves a combination of new synthetic methodology development (particularly in the area of heterocyclic materials), and physical properties analysis of the target liquid crystals including optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and electrooptic studies. A number of current projects available to undergraduates are described in the following text:

De novo construction of new 5-alkoxy-1,3-thiazole and 4-fluoro-1,3-thiazole building blocks for incorporation in novel liquid crystals : Our group has described the first high-yielding and reproducible synthesis of alkoxythiazole-based liquid crystals for ferroelectric applications. Undergraduates have the opportunity to further develop this chemistry and use it in the construction of ultra-fast ferroelectrics. Fluorinated thiazole derivatives are virtually unknown in organic chemistry and our group is currently exploring new potential approaches to these elusive materials. The cores will be used in the synthesis of liquid crystalline materials and in natural products synthesis as 1,3,4-thiadiazole mimics for modification of biological properties such as basicity and drug lifetime.

Thieno[3,2-b]thiophenes : These materials constitute an interesting new heterocyclic core that is compact and yet highly electron rich. The core has potential for incorporation in highly polarizable liquid crystals for beam-steering applications. Our group has recently developed new methodology for the high-yielding synthesis of these units. Electrophilic aromatic substitution of the core has yet to be explored as a means of creating useful synthetic building blocks.

Selected Publications

A. Seed, Chem. Soc. Rev., 2007, 36, pp. 2046-2069.

B. Sybo, P. Bradley, L. Clowes, K. Proctor, A. Grubb, S. Miller, M.R. Larie, P. Sampson, and A.J. Seed, J. Mater. Chem., 2007, 17(32), pp. 3406-3411.

V.M. Sonpatki, M.R. Herbert, L.M. Sandvoss, and A.J. Seed, J. Org. Chem., 2001, 66(22), pp. 7283-7286.

Last Updated: 18 August 2008