The search for a model that can be used to describe the optical excitation migration in dendrimers has attracted great attention. In most cases in a dendrimer the conjugation is disrupted at the branching point; however, the excitation is delocalized. The strength of interactions among neighboring chromophores plays a key role in determining the energy migration mechanism. Conversely, having many identical chromophores held tightly together in an ordered macromolecular architecture will allow for many dipoles to be accessible for optical excitation. Therefore, the relative orientation of dipoles will be important in determining the mechanism of energy migration. Here we report the synthesis and photo-physical investigation of triarylamine-based dendrimers. Two important synthetic steps were utilized in the synthesis. First, we employed diphenylmethyl protective groups on the amines to assist in deprotective hydrogenolysis of the larger structures. Second, highly active catalysts for formation of both di- and triarylamines that are based on a 1:1 ratio of P(t-Bu)3 and Pd(dba)2 improved reaction yields of the C-N bond formation and decreased reaction times The energy migration processes in the dendrimers were investigated utilizing ultrafast time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy measurements. The fluorescence anisotropy of all three dendrimers decayed to a residual value within approximately 100 fs. This fluorescence anisotropy decay showed a general trend in decreasing with increasing dendrimer generation. The residual anisotropy value also showed a gradual decrease with an increase in the dendrimer generation. This fast energy depolarization is discussed through a coherent excitonic mechanism among dipoles oriented in different directions. We believe that the formation of coherent domains leads to fast energy migration extending over a large part of the dendrimer.

A simple colorimetric assay of various transition-metal catalysts showed that the combination of DPPF, Ni(COD)(2), and acid is a highly active catalyst system for the hydroamination of dienes by alkylamines to form allylic amines. The scope of the reaction is broad; various primary and secondary alkylamines react with 1,3-dienes in the presence of these catalysts. Detailed mechanistic studies revealed the individual steps involved in the catalytic process. These studies uncovered unexpected thermodynamics for the addition of amines to pi-allyl nickel complexes: instead of the thermodynamics favoring the reaction of a nickel allyl with an amine to form an allylic amine, the thermodynamics favored reaction of a nickel(0) complex with allylic amine in the presence of acid to form a Ni(II) allyl. The realization of these thermodynamics led us to the discovery that nickel and some palladium complexes in the presence or absence of acid catalyze the exchange of the amino groups of allylic amines with free amines. This exchange process was used to reveal the relative thermodynamic stabilities of various allylic amines. In addition, this exchange reaction leads to racemization of allylic amines. Therefore, the relative rate for C-N bond formation and cleavage influences the enantioselectivity of diene hydroaminations.

A cost and synthetic efficient method that enables facile reagent and solvent recycling in SPPS using cross-linked polystyrene resins in greener solvents is reported.

Organic macromolecules with conjugated building blocks have been the focus of extensive research that is motivated, in part, by the potential to create optical and electronic devices. We have shown that palladium-catalyzed amination can assemble triarylamine ladder materials with extended structures. Two ladder macromolecules have been prepared in high yields by a series of twelve or sixteen C-N coupling reactions. Studies of the electronic and optical properties of neutral and oxidized forms of the ladder structures were conducted. The optical and electronic properties of the ladder systems are compared to those of the linear tetra-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine as well as the tetra-p-anisyl-p-tetraazacyclophane. The electrochemistry of the ladder systems consists of a multiwave voltammogram with a relatively low first oxidation potential. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of the ladder systems suggests the presence of a large density of delocalized polarons. Linear absorption measurements of the chemically oxidized ladders revealed both polaron and intervalence absorption bands. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements were also carried out to characterize the dynamics in these novel systems.