Welcome to our lab!

Constitutional Dynamic Chemistry enables the generation of constitutional diversity from molecular or supramolecular dynamic processes, yielding systems that are responsive to internal and/or external factors and amenable to adaptive activity. A specific expression of Constitutional Dynamic Chemistry is Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry, which implements the reversible connection of sets of basic components to give access to dynamic(virtual) combinatorial libraries, whose constituents comprise all possible combinations that may potentially be generated. These libraries represents chemical networks, the composition of which can be modified in response to change in the environment or through specific molecular recognition events. According to Le Châtelier’s principle,8 the librar will adapt to the selection pressure and the constituents in “positive relation“ towards “selector“ will be enriched in relation to the other compounds. In the mid 90‘, Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry emerged as a new approach to self-organisation of molecular libraries, thermodynamically driven by the target. In recent years, Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry has received considerable attention because of its successful use in identifying new receptors, ligands, catalysts and design of new class of dynamic materials.

The reversible connection between the components of the libraries concerns two levels – supramolecular (H-bonding, metal-ion binding, donor-acceptor, etc.) and molecular (dynamic covalent bonds). The latter – Dynamic Covalent Chemistry relates to chemical reactions carried out reversibly under conditions of equilibrium control. Such reactions need to meet a number of requirements; e.g. to be reversible on a reasonable time scale, to be compatible with environment, reaction conditions need to be mild, and many others. The diversity of reversible covalent bond types that have been exploited in Dynamic Constitutional Chemistry include; imine formation, hydrazone formation, oxime formation, disulfide exchange, metathesis reactions, transacylations, Michael reactions, Diels-Alder reactions, boronic ester formation, aldol formation and acetal formation, however practical applications have been found mainly for imine and disulfide formations. To broaden the scope of Dynamic Covalent Chemistry it is necessary to explore other reversible reactions presenting controllable formation efficiency and exchange kinetics.

The aim of our work is to study the evolution and self-assembly of such dynamic systems and their applications within and outside the chemical disciplines. Students participating in the work in our group will gain broad experience in the synthesis of organic and coordination compounds. They will learn to use a diverse array of analytical techniques and approaches for the characterization and study of molecules and dynamic systems.

Those interested in the research work in our group, you can contact us personally in the laboratory No. 140, or via e-mail.