IminoBoron · Iminoboronate polymers as dynamic smart materials

Iminoboronate polymers as dynamic smart materials

The aim of this project is the formation of a new class of dynamic, conjugated polymers based on a reversible conjugated polyimine backbone with pendant boronic acids. Monomers incorporating aldehyde, amines and boronic acid functionalities will condense together to construct the polymer backbone. Further functionalization by formation of boronate esters with diols will constitute the key tool to tuning the properties of the polymer. The presence of the two independently interchangeable dynamic covalent bonds (imine and boronate ester) opens the door to new functional material able to respond to two orthogonal external stimuli. In regards of the applications, our objectives are dual: firstly, we will prepare highly tunable materials with promising electronic properties, structural rigidity, which comes from the dative N→B stabilisation, and electrochemical stability, as a consequence of the non-conjugated boron functionalization, which renders them strong candidates for use in light-emitting devices. We aim to succeed in the construction of new conjugated and easily processable blue-light emitting polymers that will take a leading role on the next generation of multifunctional OLED devices, leading to a more sustainable energy consumption. Secondly, conjugated polymers with chemical receptors directly attached to the polymer backbone can act as highly sensitive fluorescent chemosensors. The dynamism of the iminoboronate polymers also renders them as promising candidates for sensing applications. Their projected sensitivity is ascribed to electronic communication between receptors, via the conjugated backbone. Moreover, the reversible formation of cyclic boronates between boronic acid functional polymers and diols has been extensively used in saccharide and anion recognition. We will focus our attention on glucose, which is directly related to diabetes, a disease that is becoming alarmingly common in our society. All the synthetic effort put into this project has led us to understand and establish the methods and procedures by which smart iminoboronate-based polymers can be accessible. Therefore, we have gained the necessary knowledge to successfully synthesise iminoboronate polymers and we are now in the position of effectively designing new structures to overcome the solubility problems that we have faced in the past, and therefore, construct the desired devices.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union