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		Frank W. Fowler Professor B.A., 1964, University of South Florida; Ph.D, 1967, University of Colorado; Leverhulme Visiting Fellow, University of East Anglia (England), 1968. Tel: (631) 632-7938 Fax: (631) 632 7960 E-mail: Frank.Fowler@sunysb.edu Publications
		Research

	SYNTHETIC CHEMISTRY The problem of converting the materials we have into the materials we want is the domain of synthetic chemistry. Historically, the focus of synthetic chemistry has been on the molecule. Molecular synthesis has rapidly developed and been extremely successful, particularly in medicinal chemistry. Functional materials with valuable optical, electrical, chemical and physical properties depend not only upon the nature of the constituent molecules but upon their relationship to each other or the supramolecular structure. If the preparation of designed materials is to ever be a rational process, it is necessary to control the molecular as well as the supramolecular structure. The extension of synthetic chemistry from the molecule to large ensembles of molecules, or supramolecular structures, is among the greatest challenges facing contemporary chemistry. A major goal of our research group is the development of strategies for the preparation of designed materials. This process first requires an understanding of the weak forces involved in the assembly of molecules to design a supra-molecular structure. The next step requires the molecular synthesis of a compound that will assemble into the designed supramolecular structure followed by conditions necessary for the assembly process. An example of an application of our studies is the preparation of layered polydiacetylenes. Polymers of the diacetylene functionality are interesting materials because their extensively conjugated pi-systems imparts to them useful optical and electrical properties. They are prepared by a process controlled by their solid state structure. We have applied our strategies for preparing layers and organizing molecules for the required topochemical polymerization. The figure below shows the crystal to crystal conversion of a diacetylene to a polydiacetylene. The preparation of designed materials is a difficult problem requiring a multidisciplinary approach. Participants in this project mustbecome skilled in understanding the weak forces that assemble molecules, instrumental techniques for analyzing the structure of the organic solid state, and modern methods of synthetic chemistry. A convergent synthetic strategy for the preparation of layered diacetylenes for a topochemically controlled polymerization.

Prepare two molecules. One molecule contains the functionality necessary for organizing the guest for a topochemical polymerization. The second molecule contains the diacetylene group. Both molecules contain the functionality necessary for self-assembly into a two dimensional layered structure.<

The crystal structure of ureylene dicarboxylic acid and a dipyridyl diacetylene derivative properly oriented for a topochemically controlled polymerization.

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