Click Chemistry for Biotechnology and Materials Science

Joerg Lahann

Dec 2009 · Sold by John Wiley & Sons

About this ebook

Mimicking natural biochemical processes, click chemistry is a modular approach to organic synthesis, joining together small chemical units quickly, efficiently and predictably. In contrast to complex traditional synthesis, click reactions offer high selectivity and yields, near-perfect reliability and exceptional tolerance towards a wide range of functional groups and reaction conditions. These ‘spring loaded’ reactions are achieved by using a high thermodynamic driving force, and are attracting tremendous attention throughout the chemical community. Originally introduced with the focus on drug discovery, the concept has been successfully applied to materials science, polymer chemistry and biotechnology.

The first book to consider this topic, Click Chemistry for Biotechnology and Materials Science examines the fundamentals of click chemistry, its application to the precise design and synthesis of macromolecules, and its numerous applications in materials science and biotechnology. The book surveys the current research, discusses emerging trends and future applications, and provides an important nucleation point for research.

Edited by one of the top 100 young innovators with the greatest potential to have an impact on technology in the 21st century according to Technology Review and with contributions from pioneers in the field, Click Chemistry for Biotechnology and Materials Science provides an ideal reference for anyone wanting to learn more about click reactions.

About the author

Joerg Lahann is Dow Corning Assistant Professor in the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Michigan (USA). He was educated at the University of Saarland (Germany) and obtained his PhD at RWTH Aachen (Germany) in Macromolecular Chemistry. From 1999 to 2001, Joerg Lahann was a postdoctoral associate in the Chemical Engineering Department of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA) and he then spent one year at Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (HMST). He joined the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Michigan in 2003. Professor Lahann has received a number of honors and awards including Technology Review TR100 Young Innovator Award, NSF CAREER Award, the Justus-Liebig Fellowship of the Fonds of the German Industry, Sigma XI - Full Membership, German Science Foundation Postdoctoral Grant, Borchers Prize of the RWTH Aachen (given to graduate students for an outstanding performance), and the Young Student Achievement Award of the Fonds of the German Industry. His research interests are broadly related to surface engineering as well as biomedical engineering and nanotechnology.