One-dimensional, two-dimensional and three-dimensional nanostructures for electronics and computing applications. Key science underpinning nanotechnology will be developed in an integrated project advancing new synthetic strategies, improved characterisation methods, and theoretical optimisation of system properties. These findings will lead to important applications in molecular electronics, organic photovoltaics, and molecular quantum computing.
Theoretical modelling and design of safe covalent anti-cancer drugs. Covalent drugs are a new class of drugs with outstanding potential in cancer therapy. Detailed computer modelling studies will be performed to determine how these drugs interact with an important target in cancer therapy, the epithelial growth factor receptor, and thereby aid the development of new cancer treatments.
Switchable and stereocontrolled photoredox catalysis. This project aims to develop new catalytic synthetic reactions for the rapid and more direct functionalisation of organic compounds under mild conditions with the use of visible light. An integrated experimental and computational approach will be used to design potent visible-light photocatalysts that retain the advantages of standard photoredox catalysis but with the added ability to intercept and, thus control, reactive intermediates in sit ....Switchable and stereocontrolled photoredox catalysis. This project aims to develop new catalytic synthetic reactions for the rapid and more direct functionalisation of organic compounds under mild conditions with the use of visible light. An integrated experimental and computational approach will be used to design potent visible-light photocatalysts that retain the advantages of standard photoredox catalysis but with the added ability to intercept and, thus control, reactive intermediates in situ. This will enable the control of stereochemistry in photoredox reactions – not possible with standard catalysts - and establish other useful synthetic transformations. These strategies will make it easier to prepare valuable classes of organic molecules – efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively.
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Development of a molecular flash memory for long-term, extremely high-capacity, unpowered data storage. This collaborative project with INTEL will demonstrate an array of Flash-RAM molecular-memory cells capable, at room temperature, of storing a terabit of data on an area of 2 square mm. This data density is more than four orders of magnitude greater than any commercially available technology and unattainable by conventional silicon-based electronics. We will design and optimize the memory cel ....Development of a molecular flash memory for long-term, extremely high-capacity, unpowered data storage. This collaborative project with INTEL will demonstrate an array of Flash-RAM molecular-memory cells capable, at room temperature, of storing a terabit of data on an area of 2 square mm. This data density is more than four orders of magnitude greater than any commercially available technology and unattainable by conventional silicon-based electronics. We will design and optimize the memory cell, develop the synthesis method, synthesize arrays of the memory cells, and develop new molecular addressing technologies.Read moreRead less
Discovering new organic chemistry using an inorganic touch. This project aims to discover new organic chemistry by treating carbon like a metal atom. Advances in fundamental organic chemistry have been important in developing products, including medicines, plastics and television display technology. Much research activity relies on applying existing organic chemistry, but inventing genuinely new organic chemistry is more difficult. By viewing carbon as a metal, this project will try to solve imp ....Discovering new organic chemistry using an inorganic touch. This project aims to discover new organic chemistry by treating carbon like a metal atom. Advances in fundamental organic chemistry have been important in developing products, including medicines, plastics and television display technology. Much research activity relies on applying existing organic chemistry, but inventing genuinely new organic chemistry is more difficult. By viewing carbon as a metal, this project will try to solve important problems in organic chemistry that have been unresolved for decades, and synthesise valuable chemicals normally generated using expensive precious metal catalysts.Read moreRead less
Inception of a Practical, Biomimetic, Flexible Photovoltaic Device. This project will design and synthesise new, complex, functional organic molecules and assemble them to create a new type of photovoltaic cell. This device will be designed using biomimetic principles to emulate many of the efficient photosynthetic solar energy conversion processes that occur in plants. A key feature is that near atomic-level control will be achieved over the entire device structure, facilitating the establish ....Inception of a Practical, Biomimetic, Flexible Photovoltaic Device. This project will design and synthesise new, complex, functional organic molecules and assemble them to create a new type of photovoltaic cell. This device will be designed using biomimetic principles to emulate many of the efficient photosynthetic solar energy conversion processes that occur in plants. A key feature is that near atomic-level control will be achieved over the entire device structure, facilitating the establishment of a clear path towards the commercial production of solar cells that are simultaneously highly efficient, long lasting, flexible, and very cheap to manufacture.Read moreRead less
Exploring the Frontiers of Free-Radical Chemistry: Self-Terminating Radical Reactions. Self-terminating free-radical reactions are a new concept in the chemist's synthetic armory. This innovative technique, invented by the chief investigators, has enormous synthetic scope that is yet largely untapped. This proposal seeks to develop novel reactions based on this concept; to explore their generality and versatility in organic synthesis through the use of both laboratory and computational techniq ....Exploring the Frontiers of Free-Radical Chemistry: Self-Terminating Radical Reactions. Self-terminating free-radical reactions are a new concept in the chemist's synthetic armory. This innovative technique, invented by the chief investigators, has enormous synthetic scope that is yet largely untapped. This proposal seeks to develop novel reactions based on this concept; to explore their generality and versatility in organic synthesis through the use of both laboratory and computational techniques. In this manner, singificant contributions to frontier technologies and breakthrough science will be made.Read moreRead less
Exploring new roles for phosphorus radicals in health, environment, and technology. Several practical outcomes will arise from this project. Information on processes that contribute to genetic disease and cancer will be derived through studies of the role of phosphorus radicals in DNA damage. Processes that lead to the degradation of natural and synthetic materials in the environment will be explored. Clean reactions will be developed for the fabrication of advanced materials (e.g. pharmaceutica ....Exploring new roles for phosphorus radicals in health, environment, and technology. Several practical outcomes will arise from this project. Information on processes that contribute to genetic disease and cancer will be derived through studies of the role of phosphorus radicals in DNA damage. Processes that lead to the degradation of natural and synthetic materials in the environment will be explored. Clean reactions will be developed for the fabrication of advanced materials (e.g. pharmaceuticals). These innovations will expand Australia's international profile in a growing research area. The project will also address three of Australia's National Research Priorities, contribute to the training of researchers in Free Radical Chemistry, and initiate research collaborations with institutions in France and the USA.Read moreRead less
Modern Low Oxidation State/Low Coordination Main Group Chemistry: A New Domain for Australian Science. The proposed research will benefit Australia by creating a knowledge base in an internationally important area of chemistry. This will be aided by the return to Australia of an international leader in the field. Through an integrated and interdisciplinary approach, the exploitation of technologies arising from the research program will be explored. In addition to the academic community, these ....Modern Low Oxidation State/Low Coordination Main Group Chemistry: A New Domain for Australian Science. The proposed research will benefit Australia by creating a knowledge base in an internationally important area of chemistry. This will be aided by the return to Australia of an international leader in the field. Through an integrated and interdisciplinary approach, the exploitation of technologies arising from the research program will be explored. In addition to the academic community, these technologies will benefit hi-tech industries including pharmaceutical and fine chemicals concerns which will gain from the use of the proposed group 13 heterocycles in organic synthesis. Moreover, industries reliant on polymer supports in catalytic process or opto-electronic polymers will profit from the various polymers derived from phosphaalkynes.Read moreRead less
The Development of Computer-Aided Molecular Modelling and Drug Design Techniques for Flexible Enzyme Targets - New Anti-HIV Agents. The dynamic motion of proteins upon binding of small molecules is crucial in many cases for the function of the protein or for the function of drugs acting upon the protein. Current methods in computer-aided design of small molecules binding to proteins do not take this protein flexibility fully into account. This project intends to develop molecular dynamics simula ....The Development of Computer-Aided Molecular Modelling and Drug Design Techniques for Flexible Enzyme Targets - New Anti-HIV Agents. The dynamic motion of proteins upon binding of small molecules is crucial in many cases for the function of the protein or for the function of drugs acting upon the protein. Current methods in computer-aided design of small molecules binding to proteins do not take this protein flexibility fully into account. This project intends to develop molecular dynamics simulation techniques for this purpose, initially using the HIV reverse transcriptase enzyme as the target protein. The methods developed will, however, be universally applicable. The project further aims to design, synthesise and test novel medicinal agents specifically against drug resistance in HIV.Read moreRead less