top of page

​

​

1/1

54. Remote control of mechanochemical reactions under physiological conditions using biocompatible focused ultrasound

Yuxing Yao,‡ Molly E. McFadden,‡ Stella M. Luo, Ross W. Barber, Elin Kang, Avinoam Bar-Zion, Cameron A. B. Smith, Zhiyang Jin, Mark Legendre, Bill Ling, Dina Malounda, Andrea Torres, Tiba Hamza, Chelsea E. R. Edwards, Mikhail G. Shapiro, and Maxwell J. Robb (‡contributed equally)

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2023, 120, e2309822120

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309822120

1/1

53. Anomalous photochromism and mechanochromism of a linear naphthopyran enabled by a polarizing dialkylamine substituent

Yan Sun, Molly E. McFadden, Skylar K. Osler, Ross W. Barber, and Maxwell J. Robb

Chem. Sci. 2023, 14, 10494–10499

DOI: 10.1039/d3sc03790h

1/1

52. Naphthopyran molecular switches and their emergent mechanochemical reactivity

Molly E. McFadden, Ross W. Barber, Anna C. Overholts, and Maxwell J. Robb

Chem. Sci. 2023, 14, 10041–10067

DOI: 10.1039/D3SC03729K

1/1

51. Mechanochemical Reactivity of a Multimodal 2H-Bis-Naphthopyran Mechanophore

Skylar K. Osler, Molly E. McFadden, Tian Zeng, and Maxwell J. Robb

Polym. Chem. 2023, 14, 2717–2723

DOI: 10.1039/d3py00344b

1/1

50. Validation of an accurate and expedient initial rates method for characterizing mechanophore reactivity

Molly E. McFadden, Anna C. Overholts, Skylar K. Osler, and Maxwell J. Robb

ACS Macro Lett. 2023, 12, 440–445

DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.3c00054

1/1

49. Mechanically gated formation of donor–acceptor Stenhouse adducts enabling mechanochemical multicolour soft lithography

Anna C. Overholts, Wendy Granados Razo, and Maxwell J. Robb

Nat. Chem. 2023, 15, 332–338

DOI: 10.1038/s41557-022-01126-5

1/1

48. Competitive activation experiments reveal significantly different mechanochemical reactivity of furan–maleimide and anthracene–maleimide mechanophores

Stella M. Luo, Ross W. Barber, Anna C. Overholts, and Maxwell J. Robb

ACS Polym. Au 2023, 3, 202–208

DOI: 10.1021/acspolymersau.2c00047

1/1

47. Mechanical force enables an anomalous dual ring-opening reaction of naphthodipyran

Molly E. McFadden, Skylar K. Osler, Yan Sun, and Maxwell J. Robb

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 22391–22396

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c08817

1/1

46. Incorporation of a tethered alcohol enables efficient mechanically triggered release in aprotic environments

Corey C. Husic, Xiaoran Hu, and Maxwell J. Robb

ACS Macro Lett. 2022, 11, 948–953

DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00344

1/1

45. Examining the impact of relative mechanophore activity on the selectivity of ultrasound-induced mechanochemical chain scission

Anna C. Overholts and Maxwell J. Robb

ACS Macro Lett. 2022, 11, 733–738

DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00217

1/1

44. A Mechanochemical two for one: Mechanical activation of norborn-2-en-7-one releases carbon monoxide and switches on aggregation-induced emission (invited highlight)

Ross W. Barber and Maxwell J. Robb

Aggregate 2022, 3, e196

DOI: 10.1002/agt2.196

1/1

43. Quantifying activation rates of scissile mechanophores and the influence of dispersity

Anna C. Overholts, Molly E. McFadden, and Maxwell J. Robb

Macromolecules 2022, 55, 276–283

DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c02232

1/1

42. Harnessing the power of force: Development of mechanophores for molecular release

Brooke A. Versaw, Tian Zeng, Xiaoran Hu, and Maxwell J. Robb

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 21461–21473

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c11868

1/1

41. 5-Aryloxy substitution enables efficient mechanically triggered release from a synthetically accessible masked 2-furylcarbinol mechanophore

Tian Zeng, Xiaoran Hu, and Maxwell J. Robb

Chem. Commun. 2021, 57, 11173–11176

DOI: 10.1039/D1CC04886D

1/1

40. A Modular approach to mechanically gated photoswitching with color-tunable molecular force probes

Ross W. Barber and Maxwell J. Robb

Chem. Sci. 2021, 12, 11703–11709

DOI: 10.1039/D1SC02890A

1/1

39. Mechanically triggered release of functionally diverse molecular payloads from masked 2-furylcarbinol derivatives

Xiaoran Hu, Tian Zeng, Corey C. Husic, and Maxwell J. Robb

ACS Cent. Sci. 2021, 7, 1216–1224

DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.1c00460

1/1

38. Comparison of the reactivity of isomeric 2H- and 3H-naphthopyran mechanophores

Skylar K. Osler, Molly E. McFadden, and Maxwell J. Robb

J. Polym. Sci. 2021, 59, 2537–2544

DOI: 10.1002/pol.20210417

1/1

37. Generation of an elusive permanent merocyanine via a unique mechanochemical reaction pathway

Molly E. McFadden and Maxwell J. Robb

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 7925–7929

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c03865

1/1

36. Validation of the CoGEF method as a predictive tool for polymer mechanochemistry

Isabel M. Klein,‡ Corey C. Husic,‡ Dávid P. Kovács, Nicolas J. Choquette, and Maxwell J. Robb (‡contributed equally)

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 16364–16381

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c06868

1/1

35. Designing naphthopyran mechanophores with tunable mechanochromic behavior

Brooke A. Versaw, Molly E. McFadden, Corey C. Husic, and Maxwell J. Robb

Chem. Sci. 2020, 11, 4525–4530

DOI: 10.1039/D0SC01359E

1/1

34. Mechanically triggered small molecule release from a masked furfuryl carbonate

Xiaoran Hu, Tian Zeng, Corey C. Husic, and Maxwell J. Robb

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 15018–15023

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b08663

1/1

33. Force-dependent multicolor mechanochromism from a single mechanophore

Molly E. McFadden and Maxwell J. Robb

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 11388–11392

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b05280

1/1

32. Mechanochemically gated photoswitching: Expanding the scope of polymer mechanochromism

Ross W. Barber, Molly E. McFadden, Xiaoran Hu, and Maxwell J. Robb

Synlett 2019, 30, 1725–1732

DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1611858

1/1

31. Mechanochemical regulation of a photochemical reaction

Xiaoran Hu, Molly E. McFadden, Ross W. Barber, and Maxwell J. Robb

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 14073–14077

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b09628

1/1

Prior to Caltech

30. Spatially Selective and Density-Controlled Activation of Interfacial Mechanophores

Sulkanen, A. R.; Sung, J.; Robb, M. J.; Moore, J. S.; Sottos, N. R.; Liu, G. Y.

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 4080–4085

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b10257

29. Mechanical Reactivity of Two Different Spiropyran Mechanophores in Polydimethylsiloxane

Kim, T. A.; Robb, M. J.; Moore, J. S.; White, S. R.; Sottos, N. R.

Macromolecules 2018, 51, 9177–9183

DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b01919

28. Interfacial Mechanophore Activation Using Laser-Induced Stress Waves

Sung, J.; Robb, M. J.; White, S. R.; Moore, J. S.; Sottos, N. R.

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 5000–5003

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b01427

27. Polymers with autonomous life-cycle control

Patrick, J. F.; Robb, M. J.; Sottos, N. R.; Moore, J. S.; White, S. R.

Nature 2016, 540, 363–370

DOI: 10.1038/nature21002

26. Regioisomer-specific mechanochromism of naphthopyran in polymeric materials

Robb, M. J.; Kim, T. A.; Halmes, A. J.; White, S. R.; Sottos, N. R.; Moore, J. S.

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016, 138, 12328–12331

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b07610

25. A robust damage-reporting strategy for polymeric materials enabled by aggregation-induced emission

Robb, M. J.; Li, W.; Gergely, R. C. R.; Matthews, C. C.; White, S. R.; Sottos, N. R.; Moore, J. S.

ACS Cent. Sci. 2016, 2, 598–603

DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.6b00198

24. Poly(ether sulfone)s using a rigid dibenzothiophene dioxide heterocycle

Kortan, A. M.; Cannizzaro, R. J.; Robb, M. J.; Knauss, D. M.

J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 3127–3131

DOI: 10.1002/pola.28197

23. Is molecular weight or degree of polymerization a better descriptor of ultrasound-induced mechanochemical transduction?

May, P. A.; Munaretto, N. F.; Hamoy, M. B.; Robb, M. J.; Moore, J. S.

ACS Macro Lett. 2016, 5, 177–180

DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.5b00855

22. Tethered tertiary amines as solid-state n-type dopants for solution-processable organic semiconductors

Russ, B.; Robb, M. J.; Popere, B. C.; Perry, E. E.; Mai, C.-K.; Fronk, S. L.; Patel, S. N.; Mates, T. E.; Bazan, G. C.; Urban, J. J.; Chabinyc, M. L.; Hawker, C. J.; Segalman, R. A.

Chem. Sci. 2016, 7, 1914–1919

DOI: 10.1039/C5SC04217H

21. Significance of miscibility in multidonor bulk heterojunction solar cells

Hartmeier, B. F.; Brady, M. A.; Treat, N. D.; Robb, M. J.; Mates, T. E.; Hexemer, A.; Wang, C.; Hawker, C. J.; Kramer, E. J.; Chabinyc, M. L.

J. Polym. Sci. Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016, 54, 237–246

DOI: 10.1002/polb.23907

20. A retro-Staudinger cycloaddition: Mechanochemical cycloelimination of a β-lactam mechanophore

Robb, M. J.; Moore, J. S.

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 10946–10949

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5b07345

19. Exploring the synthesis and impact of end-functional poly(3-hexylthiophene)

Handa, N. V.; Serrano, A. V.; Robb, M. J.; Hawker, C. J.​

J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 831–841

DOI: 10.1002/pola.27522

18. Modulating the properties of azulene-containing polymers through controlled incorporation of regioisomers

Tsurui, K.; Murai, M.; Ku, S.-Y.; Hawker, C. J.*; Robb, M. J.*

Adv. Funct. Mater. 2014, 24, 7338–7347

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201402554

17. Synthetic aptamer-polymer hybrid constructs for programmed drug delivery into specific target cells

Oh, S. S.; Lee, B. F.; Leibfarth, F. A.; Eisenstein, M.; Robb, M. J.; Lynd, N. A.; Hawker, C. J.; Soh, H. T.

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 15010–15015

DOI: 10.1021/ja5079464

16. Modulating structure and properties in organic chromophores: influence of azulene as a building block

Murai, M.; Ku, S.-Y.; Treat, N. D.; Robb, M. J.; Chabinyc, M. L.; Hawker, C. J.

Chem. Sci. 2014, 5, 3753–3760

DOI: 10.1039/C4SC01623H

15. One-step synthesis of unsymmetrical N-alkyl-N'-aryl perylene diimides

Robb, M. J.; Newton, B.; Fors, B. P.; Hawker, C. J.

J. Org. Chem. 2014, 79, 6360–6365

DOI: 10.1021/jo500945k

14. Power factor enhancement in solution-processed n-type thermoelectrics through molecular design

Russ, B.; Robb, M. J.; Brunetti, F. G.; Miller, P. L.; Patel, S.; Ho, V.; Urban, J. J.; Chabinyc, M. L.; Hawker, C. J.; Segalman, R. A.

Adv. Mater. 2014, 26, 3473–3477

DOI: 10.1002/adma.201306116

13. 25th Anniversary article: No assembly required: Recent advances in fully conjugated block copolymers

Robb, M. J.; Ku, S.-Y.; Hawker, C. J.

Adv. Mater. 2013, 25, 5686–5700

DOI: 10.1002/adma.201302677

12. Fabrication of unique chemical patterns and concentration gradients with visible light

Fors, B. P.; Poelma, J. E.; Menyo, M. S.; Robb, M. J.; Spokoyny, D. M.; Kramer, J. W.; Waite, J. H.; Hawker, C. J.

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 14106–14109

DOI: 10.1021/ja408467b

11. A one-step strategy for end-functionalized donor–acceptor conjugated polymers

Robb, M. J.; Montarnal, D.; Eisenmenger, N. D.; Ku, S.-Y.; Chabinyc, M. L.; Hawker, C. J.

Macromolecules 2013, 46, 6431–6438

DOI: 10.1021/ma401255d

10. Supramolecular guests in solvent driven block copolymer assembly: from structured nanoparticles to micelles

Klinger, D.; Robb, M. J.; Spruell, J. M.; Lynd, N. A.; Hawker, C. J.; Connal, L. A.

Polym. Chem. 2013, 4, 5038–5042

DOI: 10.1039/C3PY00750B

9. Interpreting the density of states extracted from organic solar cells using transient photocurrent measurements

MacKenzie, R. C. I.; Shuttle, C. G.; Dibb, G. F.; Treat, N.; von Hauff, E.; Robb, M. J.; Hawker, C. J.; Chabinyc, M. L.; Nelson, J.

J. Phys. Chem. C 2013, 117, 12407–12414

DOI: 10.1021/jp4010828

8. A renaissance of color: New structures and building blocks for organic electronics

Robb, M. J.; Ku, S.-Y.; Brunetti, F. G.; Hawker, C. J.

J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 1263–1271

DOI: 10.1002/pola.26531

7. Mesostructured block copolymer nanoparticles: Versatile templates for hybrid inorganic/organic nanostructures

Connal, L. A.; Lynd, N. A.; Robb, M. J.; See, K. A.; Jang, S. G.; Spruell, J. M.; Hawker, C. J.

Chem. Mater. 2012, 24, 4036–4042

DOI: 10.1021/cm3011524

6. A modular strategy for fully conjugated donor–acceptor block copolymers

Ku, S.-Y.; Brady, M. A.; Treat, N. D.; Cochran, J. E.; Robb, M. J.; Kramer, E. J.; Chabinyc, M. L.; Hawker, C. J.

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 16040–16046

DOI: 10.1021/ja307431k

5. Functional block copolymer nanoparticles: Toward the next generation of delivery vehicles

Robb, M. J.; Connal, L. A.; Lee, B. F.; Lynd, N. A.; Hawker, C. J.

Polym. Chem. 2012, 3, 1618–1628

DOI: 10.1039/C2PY20131C

4. De novo design of bioactive protein-resembling nanospheres via dendrimer-templated peptide amphiphile assembly

Lin, B. F.; Marullo, R. S.; Robb, M. J.; Krogstad, D. V.; Antoni, P.; Hawker, C. J.; Campos, L. M.; Tirrell, M. V.

Nano Lett. 2011, 11, 3946–3950

DOI: 10.1021/nl202220q

3. Exhaustive glycosylation, PEGylation, and glutathionylation of a [G4]–ene48 dendrimer via photoinduced thiol-ene coupling

Lo Conte, M.; Robb, M. J.; Hed, Y.; Marra, A.; Malkoch, M.; Hawker, C. J.; Dondoni, A.

J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem. 2011, 49, 4468–4475

DOI: 10.1002/pola.24888

2. Pushing the limits for CuAAC and thiol-ene reactions: Synthesis of a 6th generation dendrimer in a single day

Antoni, P.; Robb, M. J.; Campos, L.; Montañez, M.; Hult, A.; Malmström, E.; Malkoch, M.; Hawker, C. J.

Macromolecules 2010, 43, 6625–6631

DOI: 10.1021/ma101242u

1. Poly(arylene sulfide)s by nucleophilic aromatic substitution polymerization of 2,7-difluorothianthrene

Robb, M. J.; Knauss, D. M

J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem. 2009, 47, 2453–2461

DOI: 10.1002/pola.23341

Book Chapters

‘Click’ chemistry in polymer science: CuAAC and thiol–ene coupling for the synthesis and functionalization of macromolecules

Robb, M. J.; Hawker, C. J.

In Synthesis of Polymers: New Structures and Methods; Schlüter, A. D., Hawker, C. J., Sakamoto, J., Eds.; Wiley-VCH: Weinheim, Germany, 2012; Vol. 2, pp 923–971

ISBN: 978-3-527-32757-7

Patents

Mechanical regulation of photoswitching

Robb, M. J.; Hu, X.

U.S. Patent 11,834,442 issued December 5, 2023

Method for controlling chemical reactions using ultrasound

Robb, M. J.; Shapiro, M. G.; Yao, Y.; McFadden, M. E.

Provisional Patent Appl. CIT-9023-P filed June 13, 2023

Method for multicolor lithography using mechanical force

Robb, M. J.; Overholts, A. C.

U.S. Patent Appl. 18/193,586 filed March 30, 2023

Method for controlled release using mechanical force

Robb, M. J.; Hu, X.; Zeng, T.

U.S. Patent 11,584,752 issued February 21, 2023

Fluorescence detection of mechanical damage

Moore, J. S.; White, S. R.; Sottos, N. R.; Li, W.; Matthews, C. C.; Robb, M. J.

U.S. Patent 10,139,389 issued November 27, 2018

bottom of page