Boulatov group @ the University of Liverpool

Polymer mechanochemistry

Recent publications

  1. O'Neill, R. T.; Boulatov, R. Mechanochemical Approaches to Fundamental Studies in Soft-Matter Physics, Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 2024, 63, e202402442 (text)
  2. Wang, C.; Sun, S.; Boulatov, R. Productive Chemistry Induced by Mechanochemically Generated Macroradicals, Chem. Commun., 2024, 60, 10629 - 10641 (text)
  3. Boulatov, R. A burst of light for mechanochemistry. Nature Synth., 2024, , (text, OA text))
  4. O'Neill, R. T.; Boulatov, R. Experimental quantitation of molecular conditions responsible for flow-induced polymer mechanochemistry, Nature Chem., 2023, 15 , 1214-1223 (paywalled text; free text; non-technical summary; News and Views article; cover).
  5. Yu, Y.*; O'Neill, R. T.*; Boulatov, R.; Widenhoefer, R. A.; Craig, S. L. Allosteric control of olefin isomerization kinetics via remote metal binding and its mechanochemical analysis, Nature Commun., 2023, 14, 5074 (text. (* equal contribution)
  6. He, X.; Tian, Y.; O'Neill, R.; Xu, Y.; Lin, Y.; Weng, W.; Boulatov, R. A coumarin dimer is an effective photomechanochemical AND gate for small-molecule release. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2023, 145, 23214-23226 (text)
  7. Yokochi, H.*; O'Neill, R. T.*; Abe, T.; Aoki, D.; Boulatov, R.; Otsuka, H. A Sacrificial Mechanical Bond is as Effective as a Sacrificial Covalent Bond in Increasing Cross-Linked Polymers Toughness. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2023, 145, 23794-23801 (text) (* equal contribution)
  8. Wang, C.; Akbulatov, S.; Chen, Q.; Tian, Y.; Sun, C.; Couty, M.; Boulatov, R. The molecular mechanism of constructive remodeling of a mechanically-loaded polymer, Nature Commun., 2022, 13 , 3154 (text, blog).
  9. O'Neill, R.; Boulatov, R. The Contributions of Model Studies for Fundamental Understanding of Polymer Mechanochemistry, Synlett, 2022, 33, 851-862(text).
  10. Chan, A.; Jakoobi, M.; Wang, C.; O'Neill, R.; Aydin, G.; Halcovitch, N.; Boulatov, R.; Sergeev, A. Selective ortho-C-H activation in arenes without functional groups, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2022, 144, 11564-11568 (text)
  11. O'Neill, R.; Boulatov, R. Stilbene revisited. In Molecular Photoswitches. Chemistry, Properties, and Applications (Pianowski, Ed.), Wiley, 2022, Vol. 2, 253-281 (text).
  12. O'Neill, R.; Boulatov, R. The many flavors of mechanochemistry and its plausible conceptual underpinnings. Nature Rev. Chem., 2021, 5, 148-167 (text, cover)
  13. Boulatov, R. The liberating force of ultrasound. Nature Chem., 2021, 13, 112-114 (text)
  14. Tian, Y.; Jakoobi, M.; Boulatov, R.; Sergeev, A. G. Selective cleavage of unactivated aromatic C-C bonds by iridium: key roles of benzylic C-H activation and metal-metal cooperativity. Chem. Sci. 2021, 12, 3568-3579 (text)
  15. Yu, Y.; Weng, C.; Wang, L.; Sun, C.; Boulatov, R.; Widenhoefer, R. A.; Craig, S. L. Force-Modulated Reductive Elimination from Platinum(II) Diaryl Complexes. Chem. Sci., 2021, 12, 11130 - 11137 (text)
  16. Chan, A.; Jakoobi, M; Tian, Y.; Wang, C.; Halcovitch, N.; Boulatov, R.; Sergeev, A. Selective, Radical-Free Activation of Benzylic C-H Bonds in Methylarenes. Chem. Commun., 2021, 57, 7894-7897 ( text)
  17. Tian, Y.; Cao, X.; Li, X.; Zhang, H.; Sun, C.; Xu, Y.; Weng. W.; Zhang, W.; Boulatov, R. A polymer with mechanochemically active hidden length. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2020, 142, 18687-18697 (text, spotlight, cover)
  18. Pan, Y.; Zhang, H.; Xu, P.; Tian, Y.; Wang, C.; Xiang, S.; Boulatov, R.; Weng, W. A mechanochemical reaction cascade for controlling load-strengthening of a mechanochromic polymer. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2020, 59, 21980-21985 (text, highlight)
  19. Wang, L.; Yu, Y.; Razgoniaev, A.; Johnson, P.; Wang, C.; Tian Y.; Boulatov, R. ; Craig, S. L.; Widenhoefer, R. A. Mechanochemical Regulation of Oxidative Addition to a Palladium(0) Bisphosphine Complex. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2020, 142 , 17714-17720 (text)
  20. Wang, J.; Zhang, H.; Niu, L.; Zhu, X.; Kang, Y.; Boulatov, R.; Yang Q. Organic Composite Crystal with Persistent Room-Temperature Luminescence above 650 nm. CCS-Chem., 2020, 2, 1391-1398 (text)
  21. Jakoobi, M.; Tian, Y.; Boulatov, R.; Sergeev, A. Reversible insertion of Ir into arene ring C-C bonds with improved regioselectivity at a higher reaction temperature. J. Am. Chem. Soc. , 2019, 141, 6048-6053 (text)
  22. Zhang, H.; Zeng, D.; Pan, Y.; Chen, Y.; Ruana, Y.; Xua, Y.; Boulatov, R.; Creton, C.; Weng, W. Mechanochromism and optical remodeling of multi-network elastomers containing anthracene dimers. Chem. Sci. , 2019, 10, 8367-8373(text)
  23. Wang, J.; Niu, L.; Chen, P.; Chen, Y.; Yang, Q.; Boulatov, R. Ratiometric O2 Sensing Based on Selective Self-Sensitized Photooxidation of Donor-Acceptor Fluorophores. Chem. Commun. , 2019, 55, 7017-7020 (text)
  24. Sun, C.; Wang, C.; Boulatov, R. Applications of photoswitches in the storage of solar energy. ChemPhotoChem. , 2019, 3, 268-283 (text)
  25. Wang, Y.; Tian, Y.; Chen, Y.; Niu, L.; Wu, L.; Tung, C.; Yang, Q.; Boulatov, R. A light-driven molecular machine based on stiff stilbene. Chem. Commun. , 2018, 54, 7991-7994 (text)
  26. Anderson, L.; Boulatov, R. Polymer Mechanochemistry: A New Frontier for Physical Organic Chemistry. Adv. Phys. Org. Chem., 2018, 52, 87-143 (text)
  27. Akbulatov, S.; Tian, Y.; Huang, Z.; Kucharski, T. J.; Yang, Q.; Boulatov, R. Experimentally realized mechanochemistry distinct from force-accelerated dissociation of loaded bonds. Science, 2017, 357, 299-303 (text)
  28. Zhang, H.; Li, X.; Lin, Y.; Gao, F.; Tang, Z.; Su, P.; Zhang, W.; Xu, Y.; Weng, W.; Boulatov, R. Multimodal mechanophores based on cinnamate dimers. Nature Commun., 2017, 8, 1147 (text)
  29. Akbulatov, S.; Boulatov, R. Experimental polymer mechanochemistry and its interpretational frameworks. ChemPhysChem, 2017, 18, 1422-1450 (text, cover)
  30. Boulatov, R. The challenges and opportunities of contemporary polymer mechanochemistry. ChemPhysChem, 2017, 18, 1419-1421 (text)
  31. Wang, J.; Kouznetsova, T.; Boulatov, R.; Craig S. Mechanical Gating of a Mechanochemical Reaction Cascade. Nature Commun., 2016 7, 13433-13451 (text)
  32. Tian, Y.; Boulatov, R. Comment on "Stiff-stilbene photoswitch ruptures bonds not by pulling but by local heating" by T. Stauch, A. Dreuw. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016, 18, 26990-26993 (text)
  33. Zhang, H.; Gao, F.; Cao, X.; Li, Y.; Xu, Y.; Weng, W.; Boulatov, R. Mechanochromism and Mechanical Force-Triggered Cross-Linking from a Single Reactive Moiety Incorporated into Polymer Chains. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2016, 55, 3040-3044 (cover, text)
  34. Kean, Z. S.; Akbulatov, S.; Tian, Y.; Widenhoefer, R. A.; Boulatov, R.; Craig, S. L. Photomechanical actuation of ligand geometry in enantioselective catalysis. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.. , 2014, 52, 14508-14511(text)
  35. Tian, Y.; Kucharski, T. J.; Yang, Q.-Y.; Boulatov, R. Model studies of force-dependent kinetics of multi-barrier reactions. Nature Commun. , 2013, 4, 2538 (text)
  36. Akbulatov, S.; Tian, Y.; Kapustin, E.; Boulatov, R. Model studies of the kinetics of ester hydrolysis under stretching force. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2013, 52, 6992-6995 (text)
  37. Boulatov, R. Demonstrated leverage. Nature Chem., 2013, 5, 84-86 (text)
  38. Tian, Y.; Boulatov, R. Comparison of the predictive performance of the Bell-Evans, Taylor-expansion and statistical-mechanics models of mechanochemistry. Chem. Comm. 2013, 49, 4187-4189(text)
  39. Akbulatov, S.; Tian, Y.; Boulatov, R. Force-reactivity property of a single monomer is sufficient to predict the micromechanical behavior of its polymer J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 7620-7624 (text); commentary: Craig, S. L. A tour of force. Nature 2012, 487, 176-177 ( text)
  40. Tian, Y.; Boulatov, R. Quantum-chemical validation of the local assumption of chemomechanics for a unimolecular reaction. ChemPhysChem 2012, 13, 2277-2281 (cover , text).
  41. Kucharski, T.; Boulatov, R. Fundamentals of molecular photoactuation. In Optical Nano and Micro Actuator Technology. CRC Press, 2012, Ch. 3, pp. 83-106
  42. Hermes, M.; Boulatov, R. The entropic and enthalpic contributions to force-dependent dissociation kinetics of the pyrophosphate bond. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 20044-20047 (text).
  43. Kucharski, T.; Tian, Y.; Akbulatov, S.; Boulatov, R. Chemical solutions for the closed-cycle storage of solar energy. Energy Environ. Sci., 2011, 4, 4449-4472 (text).
  44. Kucharski, T.; Boulatov, R. The physical chemistry of mechanoresponsive polymers. J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 8237-8255 (text).
  45. Huang, Z., Boulatov, R. Chemomechanics: chemical kinetics of multiscale processes. Chem. Soc. Rev., 2011, 40, 2359-2384 (text). Journal cover.
  46. Boulatov, R. Reaction dynamics in the formidable gap. Pure Appl. Chem. 2011, 83, 25-41 (text).
  47. Kucharski, T. J.; Yang, Q.-Z.; Tian, Y.; Boulatov, R. Strain-Dependent Acceleration of a Paradigmatic SN2 Reaction Accurately Predicted by the Force Formalism. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2010, 1, 2820-2825 (text).
  48. Huang, Z.; Boulatov, R. Chemomechanics with molecular force probes (invited review). Pure App. Chem. 2010, 82, 931-951 (text).
  49. Yang, Q.-Z.; Huang, Z.; Kucharski, T. J.; Khvostichenko, D.; Chen, J.; Boulatov, R. A molecular force probe. Nature Nanotech. 2009, 4, 302-306 (text). Journal cover, Editorial, Commentary. Highlights: Nature 2009, 458, 552 (text); MarketWatch.com, March 29, 2009 (text); Chemistry World, March 2009 (text)
  50. Kucharski, T. J.; Huang, Z.; Yang, Q.-Z.; Tian, Y. C.; Rubin, N. C.; Concepcion, C. D.; Boulatov, R. Kinetics of thiol/disulfide exchange correlates weakly with the restoring force of the disulfide moiety. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2009, 48, 7040-7043 (text); Journal cover. Highlights: Chemical and Engineering News August 24, 2009, p. 10 (text); ScienceDaily June 28, 2009 (text); Inside Illinois July 16, 2009, p. 8 (text).
  51. Huang, Z.; Yang, Q.-Z.; Khvostichenko, D.; Kucharski, T. J.; Chen, J.; Boulatov, R. Method to derive restoring forces of strained molecules from kinetic measurements. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 1407-1409 (text).
  52. Huang, Z.; Yang, Q.-Z.; Kucharski, T. J.; Khvostichenko, D.; Wakeman, S. M.; Boulatov, R. Macrocyclic disulfides for studies of sensitized photolysis of the S-S bond. Chem. Eur. J. 2009, 15, 5212-5214 (text).
  53. Boulatov, R. Metalloporphyrin catalysts for oxygen reduction (invited review). In Fuel Cell Catalysis. Koper, M.; Wieckowski, A., Eds.; Wiley: New York, 2009; Ch. 18, pp. 637-694.
  54. Yang, Q.-Z.; Khvostichenko, D.; Atkinson J.; Boulatov, R. Simple dimer containing dissociatively-stable mono-imidazole ligated ferrohemes. Chem. Commun. 2008, 963-965 (text).
  55. Khvostichenko, D.; Choi, A.; Boulatov, R. DFT calculations of the lowest-energy quintet and triplet states of model hemes: Effects of functional, basis set and zero-point energy corrections. J. Phys. Chem. A. 2008, 112, 3700-3711 (text).
  56. Khvostichenko, D.; Yang, Q.-Z.; Boulatov, R. Simple heme dimers with strongly cooperative ligand binding. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 8368-8370 (text).
  57. Boulatov, R. Billion year old oxygen cathode that actually works: Biological and biomimetic oxygen reduction as an energy source (invited review). In N4 Macrocyclic Metal Complexes. Zagal, J. H., Dodelet, J.-P. Eds; Kluwer: Amsterdam, 2006, Ch. 1, pp. 1-36.
 

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