51°µÍø

• Associate Professor, 51°µÍø, 2016-present
• Assistant Professor, 51°µÍø, 2010-2016
• Chief Science Officer, ATRP Solutions, Inc., 2007-2010
• Visiting Assistant Professor, Carnegie Mellon University, 2005-2007

Research Interests

• Polymer synthesis
• Hypervalent compounds
• History of chemistry

The Tsarevsky group focuses on the synthesis of polymers with controlled molecular weight and architecture and precise placement of specific functionalities, e.g., redox-sensitive groups and groups undergoing (bio)degradation. Of particular interest are polymers with biomedical applications such as controlled delivery and imaging. Controlled/“living” radical polymerization techniques are chiefly employed by the group. Mechanistic studies, including determination of kinetic and thermodynamic reaction parameters are also carried out that enable the rational selection of polymerization conditions (e.g., catalyst or initiating system) for the synthesis of well-defined polymers with desired structures.Controlled polymerization and synthesis of polymers with well-defined molecular architecture and functionality. Areas of interest include:

• Nanostructured materials for biomedical applications (imaging, controlled delivery).
• Degradable and biodegradable materials.
• Transition metal-catalyzed polymerizations.
• Mechanistic studies of polymerization.

Selected Publications

1. McLeod, D. C., Tsarevsky, N. V., “Well-Defined Epoxide-Containing Styrenic Polymers and Their Functionalization with Alcohols”, Macromolecules, 2016, 49, 1135-1142.
2. McLeod, D. C., Tsarevsky, N. V., “4-Vinylphenyl Glycidyl Ether: Synthesis, RAFT Polymerization, and Post-Polymerization Modifications with Alcohols”, J. Polym. Sci.: Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 1132-1144.
3. Tang, H., Tsarevsky, N. V., “Lipoates as Buliding Blocks of Sulfur-Containing Branched Macromolecules”, Polym. Chem., 2015, 6, 6936-45; featured on the inside cover of the issue.
4. Han, H., Tsarevsky, N. V., “Employing Exchange Reactions Involving Hypervalent Iodine Compounds for the Direct Synthesis of Azide-Containing Linear and Branched Polymers”, Chem. Sci., 2014, 5, 4599-4609.
5. Teo, V. L., Davis, B. J., Tsarevsky, N. V., Zetterlund, P. B., “Successful Miniemulsion ATRP Using an Anionic Surfactant: Minimization of Deactivator Loss by Addition of a Halide Salt”, Macromolecules, 2014, 47, 6230-6237.
6. Matyjaszewski, K., Tsarevsky, N. V., “Macromolecular Engineering by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP)”, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2014, 136, 6513-6533.
7. McLeod, D. C., Tsarevsky, N. V., "Atom transfer radical polymerization of an epoxide-containing monomer, 4-vinylphenyloxirane, employing low concentration of catalyst: synthesis of linear and star-shaped macromolecules", Polym. Int., 2014, 63, 868-87.
8. Woodruff, S. R.; Davis, B. J.; Tsarevsky, N. V., "Epoxides as reducing agents for low-catalyst-concentration atom transfer radical polymerization", Macromol. Rapid Commun., 2014, 35, 186-19.
9. Borguet, Y. P., Tsarevsky, N. V., “Controlled Radical Polymerization of a Styrenic Sulfonium Monomer and Post-Polymerization Modifications”, Polym. Chem., 2013, 4, 2115-2124.
10. Snider, J. D.; Troche-Pesqueira, E.; Woodruff, S. R.; Gayathri, C.; Tsarevsky, N. V.; Gil, R. R., "New strategy for RDCs assisted diastereotopic protons assignment using a combination of J-scaled BIRD HSQC and J-scaled BIRD HMQC/HSQC," Magn. Reson. Chem., 2012, 50, S86-S9.
11. Borguet, Y., Tsarevsky, N. V., “Low-catalyst concentration atom transfer radical polymerization of a phosphonium salt-type monomer”, Polym. Chem., 2012, 3, 2487-94.
12. Han, H., Tsarevsky, N. V., “Carboxylic acids as latent initiators of radical polymerization carried out in the presence of hypervalent iodine compounds: Synthesis of branched and transiently crosslinked polymers”, Polym. Chem., 2012, 3, 1910-7.
13. Popescu, D.-L., Tsarevsky, N. V., “Multibrominated Hyperbranched Polymers: Synthesis and Further Functionalizations by ARGET ATRP or Click Chemistry”, Macromol. Rapid Commun., 2012, 33, 869-7.
14. Tsarevsky, N. V., “Catalytic Activity and Performance of Copper-Based Complexes Mediating Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization”, Isr. J. Chem., 2012, 52, 276-8.
15. Popescu, D.-L., Tsarevsky, N. V., “Synthesis, Functionalization, and Reductive Degradation of Multibrominated Disulfide-Containing Hyperbranched Polymers”, Aust. J. Chem., 2012, 65, 28-3

Awards

• NSF CAREER, 2016
• IUPAC Young Observer Fellowship, 2015
• Dean's Research Council Grant, 2014
• ACS Petroleum Research Fund, 2011

Professional Service

• Chair, Pittsburgh Section of ACS, 2009
• Chair, Polymer group of Pittsburgh Section of ACS, 2006