A major challenge in materials science is the ongoing search for coupling agents that are readily synthesized, capable of versatile chemistry, able to easily functionalize materials and surfaces, and efficient in covalently linking organic and inorganic entities. A decade ago, we began a research program investigating perfluorophenylazides (PFPAs) as the coupling agents in surface functionalization and nanomaterial synthesis. The p-substituted PFPAs are attractive heterobifunctional coupling agents because of their two distinct and synthetically distinguishable reactive centers: (i) the fluorinated phenylazide, which is capable of forming stable covalent adducts, and (ii) the functional group R, which can be tailored through synthesis. The methods developed have proved to be general and versatile, and they are applicable to a wide range of materials, especially those that lack reactive functional groups or difficult to derivatize, and various substrates of polymers, oxides, carbon materials, and nanoparticles. The coupling chemistry can be initiated by light, heat, and electrons. Patterned structures can be generated by selectively activating the areas of interest. Furthermore, the process is easy to perform, and light activation occurs in minutes, greatly facilitating the efficiency of the reaction. Applications of this general technique to the functionalization of polymers and graphene, and synthesis of glyconanomaterials for therapeutic applications will be discussed.

Professor Mingdi Yan is recruiting new Ph.D. students for the Chemistry Department at University of Massachusetts Lowell. She will give an overview of the Ph.D. program and answer any questions regarding the program, student life, and career opportunities after graduation. Interested students are very welcome to attend.

 

Professor Mingdi Yan obtained her B.S. degree in Polymer Physics from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), and Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry from the University of Oregon. In 1995, she took a position as a senior Research Scientist at Ikonos Corporation, focusing on developing chemical sensors. In 1998, she joined the department of Chemistry at Portland State University in Portland, OR. She became a full professor in 2008, and in 2011, moved her research group to the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Her research focuses on surface and biointerface, and the applications of nanomaterials in therapeutics. She is a guest professor at ETH Zurich (2006-07) and KTH, Sweden (2011-15), and serves as a consultant for private companies.

 

Park, J.; Yan, M. “Functionalization of Graphene with Reactive Intermediates,” Acc. Chem. Res. 2013, 46, 181–189.

Liu, L.-H., Yan, M. “Perfluorophenyl Azides: New Applications in Materials Synthesis and Surface Functionalization,” Acc. Chem. Res. 2010, 43, 1434 – 1443.

Wang, X.; Ramström, O.; Yan, M. “Glyconanomaterials: Synthesis, Characterization, and Ligand Presentation,” Adv. Mater. 2010, 22, 1946 – 1953.