Research Projects

This proposal aims to develop a cost-effective, metal-and aldehyde-free synthetic path for vinylene-linked π-conjugated small/polymeric organic molecules, which have applications in optoelectronics, catalysis, and electrochromism. The process involves phosphonates facilitating carbanion formation, oxidation in molecular oxygen, and the formation of suitable aldehydes. These aldehydes react with phosphonates to create π-conjugates (πCs), which can be accessed from a column-free synthesis. Unsymmetrically substituted alkenes can be obtained by reacting two different phosphonates, leading to diverse πCs. The molecular conformation and packing flexibility can cause color changes for solid-state emitters. The approach will be applied to bisphosphonates to create linear, fully conjugated polymers, and trisphosphonates to deliver 2D-fully conjugated polymeric materials without the external addition of aldehydes. This reaction can progress at room temperature with a short duration, allowing for the production of functionalized emissive polymers for fluorescence-based detection of suitable analytes. The 2D-conjugated vinylene-linked polymers will be synthesized using only tris-phosphonate, with various substitutions planned to ensure an easy and cost-effective generation of 2D-conjugated polymers with a narrower bandgap and excellent photo/thermal stability. These porous materials can be used in metal-free organocatalysis and water-splitting. Electrochromic studies will also be conducted to find a potential electrochromic organic material.