faculty

Arthur F. Thurnau Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, and Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Ph.D., Michigan State University

Polymer/Inorganic Chemistry

Phone: (734) 764-1438 or 417-9107
E-mail: pgrasmsn@umich.edu

Research Group

The possibility of creating highly stable materials in just a few steps from raw materials is very attractive to Dr. Rasmussen's group. They are particularly interested in high nitrogen content as a route towards generating thermal and oxidative stability. Such materials find application in non-halogen containing, environmentally benign, flame retardants and have many other special properties. Recently they discovered a very efficient synthetic route to 2-vinyl-4,5-dicyanoimidazole. This monomer readily forms polymers which can be functionalized in a variety of ways. It also affords copolymers with many of the standard high volume monomers. They are characterizing these polymers and copolymers for use as promoters of reactions using solid support methodology and as potential ion exchange resins. Another area under investigation is the reduction chemistry of hexacyano-hexaazatriphenylene. This planar cyanocarbon of formula, C₁₈N₁₂, accepts electrons reversibly and allows isolation of relatively stable radical anionic salts. The magnetic, spectroscopic and electronic properties of these salts are especially interesting because of possibilities for extended solid state interactions.

AWARDS

• 2004 Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

1. New Acetylenic Monomers and Polymers from 4,5-Dicyanoimidazole, Crystal G. Densmore, Paul G. Rasmussen, Macromolecules,  2004, 37, 5900-10.
2. 4-Cyanoimidazolate: A New Pseudo-Cyanide?  Gregory B. Less, Jeffery W. Kampf, Paul G. Rasmussen, Inorg. Chem. 2004, 43(16) 4897-4902.
3. Probing Hydrogen Bonding and Proton Mobility in Dicyanoimidazole Monomers and Polymers,  Crystal G. Densmore, Paul G. Rasmussen, Gillian R. Goward, Macromolecules, 2005, 38, #2, 416-21.
4. The Condensation of DAMN with Conjugated Aldehydes and Polymerizations of the Corresponding Imines, David M. Johnson, Sarah E. Reybuck, Richard G. Lawton, Paul G. Rasmussen, Macromolecules, 2005, 38(9), 3615-3621.
5. 1-H-Imidazole-4-Carbonitrile, Gregory B. Less, Jeff W. Kampf, Paul G. Rasmussen, Acta. Cryst. Section E, 2005, 61, 1704-6.
6. Novel Binding of Beryllium to Dicarboxyimidazole-Based Model Compounds and Polymers, Plieger, P. G.; Ehler, D. S.; Duran, B. L.; Taylor, T. P.; John, K. D.; Keizer, T. S.; McCleskey, T. M.; Burrell, A. K.; Kampf, J. W.; Haase, T.; Rasmussen, P. G.; Karr, J.;
   Inorg. Chem. 2005; 44(16); 5761-5769. .