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Brett
Helms
Staff Scientist, Organic and Macromolecular
Synthesis Facility
BAHelms@lbl.gov,
510.486.7729 |
Research interests
I’m interested in the synthesis and application
of functional materials with well-defined molecular dimensions
and/or assemblies at the nanoscale. In general, I focus
on an organic approach to the molecular engineering of
polymeric materials to arrive at functional objects for
catalysis, light harvesting, microelectronics, etc. Given
the multidisciplinary environment here at the Molecular
Foundry, my research thrusts are specifically aimed at
bridging the gap between different disciplines through
collaborative investigations. In this manner, I hope to
develop new research tools alongside new materials for
various applications.
Current projects
- Functional supramolecular assemblies of polymeric nanoparticles
(with Prof. E. (Bert) W. Meijer, Eindhoven University
of Technology, The Netherlands)
- Catalytic nanoreactors using dendritic and other macromolecular
architectures
- Reactive di- and triblock copolymers for low-k nanoporous
materials
- Improving CNT-based nanocomposites through interface
engineering
Selected publications
- Helms, B.; van Baal, I.; Merkx, M. Meijer, E.
W. “Site-Specific
Protein and Peptide Immobilization on a Biosensor Surface
by Pulsed Native Chemical Ligation.” ChemBioChem 2007, 8, 1790-1794.
- Helms, B.; Meijer, E. W. “Dendrimers
at Work.” Science 2006, 313, 929-930.
- Helms,
B.; Fréchet, J. M. J. “The Dendrimer
Effect in Homogeneous Catalysis.” Adv. Syn.
Catal. 2006, 348, 1125-1148.
- Thibault,
R. J.; Takizawa, K.; Lowenheilm, P.; Helms, B.; Mynar,
J. L.; Fréchet, J. M. J.; Hawker, C.
J. “A Versatile New Monomer Family: Functionalized
Vinyltriazoles via Click Chemistry.” J. Am. Chem.
Soc. 2006, 128, 12084-12085.
- Helms,
B.; Guillaudeu, S. J; Xie, Y.; McMurdo, M.; Hawker,
C. J. Fréchet, J. M. J. “One-Pot
Reaction Cascades Using Star Polymers with Core-Confined
Catalysts.” Angew.
Chem. Int. Ed. 2005, 44, 6384-6387.
- Helms,
B.; Liang, C. O.; Hawker, C. J.; Fréchet,
J. M. J. “Effects of Polymer Architecture and
Nanoenvironment in Acylation Reactions Employing Dendritic
(Dialkylamino)pyridine Catalysts.” Macromolecules 2005, 38, 5411-5415.
- Helms,
B.; Mynar, J. L.; Hawker, C. J.; Fréchet,
J. M. J. “Dendronized Linear Polymers via "Click
Chemistry".” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 15020-15021.
- Liang,
C. O.; Helms, B.; Hawker, C. J.; Fréchet,
J. M. J. “Dendronized Cyclocopolymers with a
Radial Gradient of Polarity and Their Use to Catalyze
a Difficult Esterification.” Chem. Commun. 2003, 2524-2525.
- Harth,
E. M.; Hecht, S.; Helms, B.; Malmström,
E. E.; Fréchet, J. M. J.; Hawker, C. J. “The
Effect of Macromolecular Architecture in Nanomaterials:
A Comparison of Site Isolation in Porphyrin Core Dendrimers
and Their Isomeric Linear Analogues.” J. Am.
Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 3926-3938.
- Harth,
E.; Bosman, A.; Benoit, D.; Helms, B.; Fréchet,
J. M. J.; Hawker, C. J. “A Practical Approach
to the Living Polymerization of Functionalized Monomers:
Application to Block Copolymers and 3-Dimensional Macromolecular
Architectures.” Macromolecular
Symposia 2001, 174, 85-92.
- Benoit,
D.; Harth, E.; Helms, B.; Rees, I.; Vestberg, R.; Rodlert,
M.; Hawker, C. J. “Progress Toward a
Universal Initiator for Nitroxide Mediated "Living" Free
Radical Procedures.” ACS Symposium Series 2000, 768, 123-137.
Education
Postdoc, Eindhoven University of Technology, with Prof.
E. (Bert) W. Meijer
Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, with Prof.
Jean M. J. Fréchet
B.S., Harvey Mudd College
Past professional positions
IBM Almaden Research Center (through CPIMA), under Craig
Hawker
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