Dominic V Mcgrath

Dominic V Mcgrath

Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry-Sci
Professor, BIO5 Institute
Primary Department
Department Affiliations
Contact
(520) 626-4690

Research Interest

Dominic Mcgrath, PhD, set forth a program which involves the use of organic synthesis for the design, development, and application of new concepts in macromolecular, supramolecular, and materials chemistry. Research efforts span a number of areas in the chemical sciences and include studies of: 1) chiral dendritic macromolecules and the effect of chiral subunits on dendrimer conformation, 2) photochromic dendrimers and linear polymers which undergo structural changes in response to visible light, 3) liquid crystalline materials based on dendritic and photochromic mesogens, and 4) synthesis of new ligands based on saturated nitrogen heterocycles.A continuing interest remains in the effect of structural perturbations on the properties and functional of dendritic macromolecules. Part of this research addresses the design, synthesis, and study of dendrimeric materials containing chiral moieties in the interior for influencing the conformational order of these 3-dimensional macromolecules. An ultimate goal is to develop materials active for the selective clathration of small guest molecules. Potential applications include chemical separations, sensor technology, environmental remediation, and asymmetric catalysis.Dr. Mcgrath and his lab team recently developed several new classes of dendritic materials containing photochromic subunits. As nature uses light energy to alter function in photoresponsive systems such as photosynthesis, vision, phototropism, and phototaxis, they use light energy to drive gross topological or constitutional changes in fundamentally new dendritic architectures with precisely placed photoresponsive subunits. In short, they can drive dendrimer properties with light stimuli. Two entirely new classes of photoresponsive dendritic macromolecules have been developed and include: 1) photochromic dendrimers and 2) photolabile dendrimers. Dr. Mcgrath anticipates that switchable and degradable dendrimers of this type will have application in small molecule transport systems based on their ability to reversibly encapsulate guest molecules. He continues to develop these materials as potential transport hosts and photoresponsive supramolecular assemblies.

Publications

Szalai, M. L., McGrath, D. V., Wheeler, D. R., Zifer, T., & McElhanon, J. R. (2007). Dendrimers based on thermally reversible furan-maleimide Diels-Alder adducts. Macromolecules, 40(4), 818-823.

Abstract:

Thermally labile dendrimers based on the reversible furan-maleimide Diels-Alder reaction are described. First through fourth generation benzyl aryl ether based dendrons 3a-d that contained furan moieties at their focal point were allowed to react with bismaleimide central linker 4 to provide the corresponding dendrimers 5-8. Thermal degradation and reassembly of these dendrimers were studied under a variety of conditions and monitored by GPC and NMR. © 2007 American Chemical Society.

Hillmyer, M. A., Lepetit, C., McGrath, D. V., Novak, B. M., & Grubbs, R. H. (1992). Aqueous Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization of carboximide-functionalized 7-oxanorbornenes. Macromolecules, 25(13), 3345-3350.

Abstract:

The ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of exo-N-methyl-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]-hept-5-ene-2,3-dicarboximide (1) was accomplished in aqueous solution under mild conditions using the simple ruthenium(II) coordination complex RuII(H2O)6(tos)2 (tos = p-toluenesulfonate) (2). The polymerization yield was nearly quantitative. The resultant high molecular weight polymer (poly-1) exhibited a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 225°C and was thermally stable up to 402°C. The thermal and radiative stabilities of poly-1 were further investigated. Poly-1 was hydrogenated to yield its saturated analogue, which had a lower Tg (170°C) but a higher temperature of decomposition (430°C). Complex 2 was deactivated by coordination of free maleimides formed during the polymerization of carboximide-functionalized monomers capable of undergoing retro Diels-Alder chemistry. The scope of this polymerization was therefore limited to carboximide-functionalized monomers that are stable toward retro Diels-Alder reactions at the polymerization temperature. Both ruthenium (II)-1 and ruthenium(II)-N-methylmaleimide olefin complexes were identified. © 1992 American Chemical Society.

Kernag, C. A., & McGrath, D. V. (2003). Non-aggregating octasubstituted dendritic phthalocyanines. Chemical Communications, 9(9), 1048-1049. doi:10.1039/B301157G

Abstract:

Eight poly(aryl) ether dendritic wedges attached to the periphery of a phthalocyanine significantly decreases self-association of these chromophores in solution and the condensed state.

Genson, K. L., Holzmueller, J., Vaknin, D., Villavicencio, O. F., McGrath, D. V., & Tsukruk, V. V. (2005). Langmuir monolayers from functionalized amphiphiles with epoxy terminal groups. Thin Solid Films, 493(1-2), 237-248. doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2005.04.091

Abstract:

We studied Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers from amphiphiles with traditional (carboxylic) and bulky functionalized (epoxy) terminal groups at the air-water and air-solid interfaces. We demonstrated that the molecules with a central azobenzene fragment and carboxylic (AA-1 molecule) and bulky epoxy (AE-1 molecule) polar groups formed orthorhombic unit cells with larger than expected area per alkyl tail. The higher order of symmetry indicated by the appearance of higher Qxy peaks revealed that the alkyl tails formed a herringbone structure with limited long range ordering. In the condensed monolayer, the azobenzene group of the AA-1 molecules was oriented vertically in contrast to the AE-1 molecule that was significantly tilted. In addition, the presence of the bulky epoxy focal groups caused a less dense lateral packing of the azobenzene groups. We suggest that the bulky focal group causes intramonolayer packing which can enhance the ability of the chemically grafted azobenzene groups for photoisomerization. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mayukh, M., Sema, C. M., Roberts, J. M., & McGrath, D. V. (2010). Solvent-free synthesis of soluble, near-IR absorbing titanyl phthalocyanine derivatives. Journal of Organic Chemistry, 75(22), 7893-7896. doi:http://doi.org/10.1021/jo1011637

Abstract:

Solvent-free synthesis of a series of alkylthio-substituted titanyl phthalocyanine (TiOPc) derivatives starting from the corresponding phthalonitriles (Pn) is reported. This methodology eliminates the formation of the unmetalated phthalocyanine (H2Pc), a side product that makes purification difficult. The alkylthio groups on the reported derivatives enhance solubility in common organic solvents and shift the absorption to the near-IR region. © 2010 American Chemical Society.