Description:

Webinar

Two Dimensional Polymers and Polymerizations

Prof. William R. Dichtel

Department of Chemistry

Northwestern University

Tuesday, July 28,   Webinar at 6:30 PM Pacific time

Abstract

Synthetic chemists have developed robust methods to synthesize discrete molecules, linear and branched polymers, and disordered cross-linked networks. However, two-dimensional (2D) polymers prepared from designed monomers have been long missing from these capabilities, both as objects of chemical synthesis and in nature. Recently, new polymerization strategies and characterization methods have enabled the unambiguous realization of 2D, covalently linked macromolecular sheets. We have developed tools to study these polymerizations experimentally and computationally, which has given rise to the first controlled two-dimensional polymerizations, along with materials of improved quality.^1,2 Furthermore, a new solid-state polymerization approach provides access to two-dimensional polymers containing mechanical bonds at each repeat unit.^3,4 These approaches and the properties of high-quality 2D polymers that are now emerging will be presented.

(1) Natraj, A. et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 19813–19824

(2) Kharel, P. et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 11821–11828.

(3) Bardot, M. I. et al. Science 2025 387, 264–269.

(4) Bardot, M. I. et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2026, 148, 20631–20638.

Speaker Background

William Dichtel received a B.S. in Chemistry from MIT and Ph.D. from UC-Berkeley under Prof. Jean M. J. Fréchet. He was a postdoctoral researcher with Prof. Fraser Stoddart at UCLA, and Prof. James Heath at Caltech. He began his independent career at Cornell University in 2008 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2014. In 2016, he moved to Northwestern University as the Robert L. Letsinger Professor of Chemistry. His research has expanded the study of polymerization into the second and third dimensions in polymers known as covalent organic frameworks, porous polymers for water purification, and new approaches to polymer recycling. Dichtel has been recognized with a MacArthur Fellowship, the Leo Hendrik Baekeland Award of the North Jersey Section of the ACS, and as the 2020 Blavatnik National Laureate in Chemistry.

Registration deadline: Monday, July 27, 1:00 PM.

Registration may close earlier than the nominal deadline if capacity is reached.

This event will be FREE OF CHARGE, but we still require you to fill out the registration form. In particular, we need to have your name and email address for you to be able to participate. Please provide affiliation also if you can, as it helps us judge audience interests.

If you can spare a small amount, GGPF requests an optional donation of $5 (or more) but this is not required to register and attend the webinar.

To register for free, use the pull-down toggle to select "All registrants ($0.00)" choice.

To donate, use the pull down toggle to select "GGPF donation ($5.00)". This will direct you to a secure link where you can use PayPal or any credit or debit card. For larger donations, use the "Donate to GGPF" link on the front page GGPF.org

Webinar Timing: 6:30 PM.

(Zoom meeting room will open earlier)

Attendees who complete the registration form will receive information by email for how to participate. It is requested that people join the meeting invitation well before 6:30 PM to avoid delays.

Registrants will receive the information needed to join the webinar within a day of the event in an email from “events@ggpf.ccsend.com”. To be certain of seeing the note, please add events@ggpf.ccsend.com to your safe mail senders list, and/or look in your spam, updates, or other mailbox locations in addition to your primary Inbox.

Please register on the web page.

You should receive email confirmation of your registration; if not, please contact us again.

Do not reply to email from events@ggpf.ccsend.com

For questions or other assistance, contact:

Clayton Henderson

macro2nano@verizon.net

Attendees will be added to the GGPF email announcements list unless they request otherwise.