Synthesis and Properties of Corannulene Derivatives
Lecturer: Mihaiela C. Stuparu, Assistant Professor, Nanyang Technological University
Time: 10:50 a.m., Dec.7th, 2018
Venue: Lecture Hall 441, Biological Science Building
Sponsors: Biomass Molecular Engineering Center, School of Forestry & Landscape
Profile to the Lecturer
Mihaiela(Ela) C. Stuparu obtained her doctoral degree from ETH-Zürich. After a one-year postdoctoral stay with Prof. H. K. Hall Jr. at the University of Arizona, Mihaiela returned to Zürich and finished her habilitation work under the mentorship of Prof. J. S. Siegel at the University of Zürich. Since October 2014, Mihaiela is a Nanyang Assistant Professor at NTU Singapore. Here, her group is investigating utility of the corannulene motif for the preparation of functional soft materials.
Presentation Abstract
Corannulene (C20H10) is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon that exhibits molecular curvature due to the arrangement of five six-membered rings around a central five-membered ring. It can, therefore, be considered as the cap region of fullerene C60. This is the reason, corannulene is sometime referred to as a ‘bucky-bowl’. The nonplanarity of the structure endows corannulene (and C60) with unique electronic properties that are not found in planar aromatic hydrocarbons such as naphthalene and pyrene. In contrast to C60, however, corannulene offers high solubility in common organic solvents and an avenue for multiple and well-defined substitutions on the aromatic nucleus. These two attributes are of high relevance to the synthetic and materials chemists as they allow for synthesis and unambiguous structural characterization of the synthesized materials. In this presentation, we will describe synthesis and properties of a large family of corannulene derivatives.
