Start of funding 01.07.2002

Catalytic Organic Ionic Liquids

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang A. Herrmann
Technische Universität München
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Prof. Dr. Robert M. Waymouth
Stanford University
Department of Chemistry

Prof. Dr. Robert Eckles Swain
Stanford University
Department of Chemistry



Ionic Liquids derived from imidazolium ions are known to be nucleophilic catalysts due to the in situ formation of N-heterocyclic carbenes. We are interested in charged block copolymers that self-assemble into block copolymer micelles. It is known that certain classes of organic ionic liquids are immiscible both in organic and aqueous solvents, which should allow the formation of multiphase micelle structures. The core of a micelle of imidazolium-functionalized polystyrenes mimics the environment of an organic ionic liquid. These block copolymer micelles (non-crosslinked) and the crosslinked versions should provide a new class of catalytic organic ionic liquid nanoparticles. These nanoreactors would provide not only an unusual ionic liquid reaction environment but also the benefits of phase transfer catalysis. The nanoparticles will be investigated in Heck reactions and other C-C coupling reactions and compared to catalytic reactions with ionic liquid solvents.