Laboratory for Organic Functional Materials Technologies

Description of the Group

1. Study of the rate of initiation of lipid peroxidation. Konowledge on the rate of initiation process is crucial for the studies of the mechanism and kinet[1]ics of autoxidation and the action of antioxidants. The experiments concern emulsion systems and liposome suspensions.
2. Antioxidant activity of polyphenols in homo- and heterogeneous systems. This area includes deter[1]mination of the influence of acid-base equilibrium on the activity of phenolic antioxidants, connection of the mono- and polyphenols structure with their reactivity, determination of the effect of microen[1]vironment on the activity of phenolic and polyphe[1]nolic antioxidants and determination of synergistic effects between antioxidants.
3. Study of antioxidant activity of catecholamines. Neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) lead to progressive nerve cell atro[1]phy, accompanied by excessive production of reac[1]tive oxygen forms (oxidative stress). The aim of the research is to determine the potential protective properties of catecholamine neurotransmitters in relation to lipid systems exposed to reactive oxygen forms.
4. Research on carbonylation processes catalyzed by palladium and its complexes. Carbonylation of aromatic nitrocompounds with carbon monoxide is an alternative, waste-free and phosgene-free method to obtain aromatic isocyanates, carbamates or urea. Carbamates and urea are widely used as plant protection products, as an intermediate during production of polyurethanes. Many deriva[1]tives of urea and carbamates are biologically active and are used in medicine. Our work is aimed at development of environmentally friendly, selective and highly active catalysts for the carbonylation reaction of nitro compounds and amines.

 

Team Leader

Grzegorz Litwinienko (specialization: physical organ[1]ic chemistry, doctorate in 2000, habilitation in 2006, title of professor in 2017) is the author of over 50 publications (number of citations > 2000, index h=21) and three chapters in the monographs. He completed his postdoctoral scientific internship at the National Research Council of Canada in Otta[1]wa in a research group of K.U. Ingold. He received the W. Kemula Award, A. Grabowski Award, Rector of the University of Warsaw Award, 12-month Foreign Scholarship of the Foundation for Polish Science, 12-month Scholarship of the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Cana[1]da. He is also a laureate of the A. Piekara award for teaching activities. He has supervised four PhDs and 24 Masters of Sciences. He managed projects financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and by the National Centre for Science