IBM Corp. and a group of Stanford researchers published a white paper this week describing their discovery of a new process for using organocatalysts to develop new types of polymer molecules.  IBM has had an active research program involving organocatalysts at its Almaden Research Center.

On its web site, the company states, “Modern synthetic methods have revolutionized polymer chemistry through the development of new and powerful strategies for the controlled synthesis of complex polymer architectures.  Catalysis has proven an enabling science for chemical synthesis, and the development of new classes of well-defined catalysts have demonstrated the enabling science for catalysis.  In collaboration with Stanford University (Prof. Robert Waymouth) we have developed a family of organocatalysts for the controlled polymerization of strained heterocyclics to well-defined polymers of novel architectures and macromolecular topologies. N-heterocyclic carbenes, thio-ureas, and super bases such as guanidines and amidines are potent catalysts for the ring-opening polymerization of lactones.”

IBM is interested in licensing the technology, although it has some proprietary interests in using it in-house as well. 

For more on the process, point to http://www.almaden.ibm.com/st/chemistry/ps/catalysts/RingOpening/.