Toward Selective Biointerfaces through Saccharide-Functionalized Covalent Organic Frameworks

Project Investigators:

Jun. Prof. Dr. Frederik Haase
MLU, Technical Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry

Prof. Dr. Daniel Wefers
MLU, Food Chemistry

Prof. Dr. Robert Langer
MLU, Inorganic Chemistry

Project summary:
Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are an emerging class of crystalline porous materials composed of organic building blocks with light elements, which are connected via reversible covalent bonds based on reticular chemistry to afford two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) ordered frameworks. The isoreticular tunability and facile functionalization make COFs a versatile platform to amalgamate multiple building blocks. We aim to produce highly functional and porous biomaterials that have tunable selective interactions with hydrophilic compounds, which severe as model systems for glycosylated biointerfaces. The central idea is to engineer COF linkers bearing mono-, di-, or oligosaccharides, thereby enabling specific and controlled interactions with polysaccharides and eventually at the biointerface. (1) We will synthesize COFs with monosaccharides attached to pore walls, both internally and externally, using pre-synthetic or post-synthetic functionalization methods such as sugar chemistry or click chemistry. (2) To assess the affinity of these COFs for other saccharides, we will measure their interactions with mono-, di-, and oligo-saccharides. (3) NMR techniques will be used to investigate the affinity and diffusion of saccharides within the saccharide-functionalized COFs. (4) We will explore the potential of saccharide-functionalized COFs to achieve end-group selectivity in polysaccharides, enabling their separation through chromatographic methods. (5) In the final phase, we will utilize these functionalized COFs to immobilize catalysts within the pores, thereby generating site-selective reactivity for polysaccharide modification.