Prof. Jessica Lamb
OCDS
University of Minnesota
Department of Chemistry
Description
Title: A mechanistic approach to advancing polymers and catalysis
Abstract: The core of physical organic chemistry is the relation of an organic (macro)molecule’s chemical structure to its reactivity/properties. This simple concept is a powerful tool to understand fundamental mechanisms, solve problems, and establish design principles across a wide variety of fields. The Lamb group takes a physical organic approach to problems at the interface of polymer science and catalysis to transform how materials are made and un-made. In this talk, the group’s efforts towards these common goals will be outlined in the context of N-heterocyclic carbene organocatalysis and the synthesis of polymers containing polar oxazolidinone rings in the backbone.