Department of Chemistry

Our research interests include the synthesis of functional nanosystems, controlled polymer architectures and dynamic supramolecular assemblies through molecular recognition processes.

The underlying theme of our research lies at the interface between synthetic organic efforts on small molecules and macroscopic properties at the materials level, developing a macro-organic approach to chemistry. Dynamic supramolecular self-assembly of materials will be an area of great importance in the coming years, allowing for innovations in nanotechnology and at the biological and chemical interfaces.

We are particularly interested in exploring topics such as water-soluble and stimuli-responsive materials, template and imprinting technologies of functional polymers for use in chiral separations and enantioselective catalysis, and controlling material morphologies and architectures both in solution and in the solid state through rational design and a multi-step, hierarchical self-assembly process.

Selected Publications

Celiz, A. D.; Lee, T. C.; Scherman, O. A. "Polymer Mediated Dispersion of Gold Nanoparticles: Using Supramolecular Moieties on the Periphery," Adv. Mater. (2009) in press

Celtek, G.; Artar, M.; Scherman, O. A.; Tuncel, D. "Sequence Specific Self-Sorting of the Binding Sites of a Ditopic Guest by Cucurbituril Homologues and Subsequent Formation of a Hetero[4]pseudorotaxane," Chem. Eur. J. (2009) in press

Liu, L.; Nouvel, N.; Scherman, O. A. "Controlled catch and release of small molecules with cucurbit[6]uril via a kinetic trap," Chem. Commun. (2009) 3243-3245

Deroo, S.; Rauwald, U.; Robinson, C. V.; Scherman, O. A. "Discrete, multi-component complexes with cucurbit(8)uril in the gas-phase," Chem. Commun. (2009) 644-646

Celiz, A. D.; Scherman, O. A. "Controlled ring-opening polymerization initiated via self- complementary hydrogen-bonding units," Macromolecules (2008) 41, 4115- 4119

Rauwald, U.; Scherman, O. A. "Supramolecular block copolymers with cucurbit[8]uril in water," Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. (2008) 47, 3950-3953

Liu, L.; Zhao, N.; Scherman, O. A. "Ionic liquids as novel guests for cucurbit[6]uril in neutral water," Chem. Commun. (2008) 1070-1072

Scherman, O. A.; Ligthart, G. B. W. L.; Ohkawa, H.; Sijbesma, R. P.; Meijer, E. W. "Olefin Metathesis and Quadruple Hydrogen Bonding: A Powerful Combination in Multistep Supramolecular Synthesis," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (2006) 103, 11850-11855

Scherman, O. A.; Ligthart, G. B. W. L.; Sijbesma, R. P.; Meijer, E. W. "A Selectivity Driven Supramolecular Polymerization of an AB Monomer," Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. (2006) 45, 2072-2076

Radano, C. P.; Scherman, O. A.; Stingelin-Stutzmann, N.; Müller, C.; Breiby, D. W.; Smith, P.; Janssen, R. A. J.; Meijer, E. W. "Crystalline-Crystalline Block Copolymers of Regioregular Poly(3- hexylthiophene) and Polyethylene by Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization," J. Am. Chem. Soc. (2005) 127, 12502-12503