Ivan Gitsov
Associate Professor
217 Jahn Laboratory
470-6851
igivanov@syr.edu
Ph.D., 1986, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia (Bulgaria); Research Associate, Institute of Polymers, Sofia, 1985-1986; Research Associate, Senior Research Associate, R&D Institute for Special Chemicals, Sofia, 1987-1993; Visiting Scientist, Research Associate and Manager of the Polymer Characterization Facility, Cornell University, and Cornell Center for Materials Research, 1990-1996; Visiting Assistant Professor, Cornell University, 1996-2000. Greve Foundation Fellow (William & Mary Greve Foundation), 1990; Cottrell Scholar (Research Corporation), 1999.
Natural and synthetic polymers play a vital role in the current tremendous developments in industry and medicine. The research efforts in our group are focused on the design, synthesis and evaluation of novel polymers with unique architecture and properties that can be applied in both fields. The projects involve extensive use of advanced methods for organic synthesis, high-vacuum techniques for "living" polymerization and state-of-the-art methods for isolation, identification and characterization of the macromolecules formed. This places our research at the interfaces of organic chemistry, polymer science, biotechnology and molecular medicine. Primary targets for synthesis and characterization are amphiphilic copolymers and hydrogels with hydrophobic perfectly branched (dendritic) or fulleroid fragments that are capable of forming super- and supramolecular structures (see figures below). These unique materials are currently evaluated as stimuli-responsive devises, suitable models of nano-sized reactors, vehicles and "sponges", drug- and enzyme carriers, templates for combinatorial synthesis and screening, etc.
Other research activities include the development of unique technologies for polymer recycling and "green" chemistry.
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![image of Self-Assembly of [G-2]-PEG5000-[G-2] in Aqueous Media: Left - unimers below cmc ; Center - onset of self-assembly; Right - supermolecule with dendritic core and linear shell](../gitsov/imageJ14.JPG) |
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Cross-polarized optical micro-photography of a supermolecule formed in water by self-assembly of amphiphilic linear-dendritic copolymers. |
Self-Assembly of [G-2]-PEG5000-[G-2] in Aqueous Media: Left - unimers below cmc ; Center - onset of self-assembly; Right - supermolecule with dendritic core and linear shell. (For more details see Gitsov et al., J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2000, 38, 2711-2727) |
Representative Publications
Novel Macromolecular Architectures
Copolymers
Synthesis of Novel Asymmetric Dendritic-Linear-Dendritic Block Copolymers via “Living” Anionic Polymerization of Ethylene Oxide Initiated by Dendritic Macroinitiators
J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem., 45(22), 5136-5148 (2007)
I. Gitsov, A, Simonyan, N.G. Vladimirov
Amphiphilic Super-H Copolymers with Linear-Dendritic Architecture
Polym. Mater. Sci. Eng. 91, 860-861 (2004)
I. Gitsov, I.V. Berlinova, J.M.J. Fréchet
Linear-Dendritic Poly(Ester)-block-Poly(ether)-block-Poly(Ester) ABA copolymers Constructed by a Divergent Growth Method
Macromolecules 36, 1068-1074 (2003)
K.R. Lambrych, I. Gitsov
Synthesis of new hybrid macromolecules with cyclo-dendritic architecture,
Chem. Commun. 2000, 269-270
I. Gitsov, P.T. Ivanova
Hydrogels
Novel Materials for Bioanalytical and Biomedical Applications: Environmental Response and Binding/Release Capabilities of Amphiphilic Hydrogels with Shape-Persistent Dendritic Junctions
J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 43, 4017-4029 (2005)
C. Zhu, C. Hard, C. Lin, I. Gitsov
Novel Functionally Grafted Pseudo Semi-Interpenetrating Networks Constructed by Reactive Linear-Dendritic Copolymers
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 11228-11234 (2003)
I. Gitsov, C. Zhu
Amphiphilic Hydrogels Constructed by Poly(ethylene Glycol) and Shape-Persistent Dendritic Fragments
Macromolecules 35, 8418-8427 (2002);
I. Gitsov, C. Zhu
Materials for Biomedical Applications
Immobilization of Aminothiols on Poly(oxyethylene H-phosphonates) and Poly(oxyethylene phosphate)s – an Approach to Polymeric Protective Agents for Radiotherapy of Cancer
J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem., 45(7) 1349-1363 (2007)
K. Troev, I. Tsatcheva, N. Koseva, R. Georgieva, I. Gitsov
Immobilization of Aminothiols on Poly(oxyalkylene phosphates). Formation of Poly(oxyethylene phosphates)/Cysteamine Complexes and their Radioprotective Efficiency
J. Med. Chem. 45 5797-5801 (2002)
R. Georgieva, R. Tsevi, K. Kossev, R. Kusheva, M. Balgjiska, R. Petrova, V. Tenchova, I. Gitsov, K. Troev
Dendritic-polymer drug delivery structures characterized by a novel triple detection method
Drug Disc. Today 6(2), 108-109 (2001)
I. Gitsov, P. Clarke
Materials for Biotechnological Applications
Green Oxidation of Steroids in Nano-Reactors Assembled from Laccase and Linear-Dendritic Copolymers
Polymer Biocatalysis and Biomaterials, H.N. Cheng, R.A. Gross, Eds., ACS Symposium Series Vol. ?, American Chemical Society, Washington DC, 2007, in press
I. Gitsov, A. Simonyan, A. Krastanov, S. Tanenbaum
Nondestructive Regioselective Modification of Laccase by Linear-Dendritic Copolymers. Enhanced Oxidation of Benzo-a-Pyrene in Water
Polymer Biocatalysis and Biomaterials, H.N. Cheng, R.A. Gross, Eds., ACS Symposium Series Vol. 900, American Chemical Society, Washington DC, 2005, 80-94;
I. Gitsov, K. Lambrych, P. Lu, J. Nakas, J. Ryan and S. W. Tanenbaum
Smart Polymer Recycling (in cooperation with Prof. K. Troev, Bulgaria)
Smart Polymer Recycling: Synthesis of Novel Rigid Polyurethanes Using Phosphorus-Containing Oligomers Formed by Controlled Degradation of Microporous Polyurethane Elastomer
J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 105(2), 302-308 (2007)
K. Troev, G. Grancharov, V. Mitova, St. Shenkov, A. Topliyska, Ivan Gitsov
Phosphorus-Containing Oligoamides Obtained by a Novel One-Pot Degradation of Polyamide-6
Polym. Degrad. Stab. 91, 778-788 (2006)
K. Troev, N. Todorova, V. Mitova, St. Vassileva, I. Gitsov
A Novel Catalyst for the Glycolysis of Poly(ethylene terephthalate)
J. Appl. Pol. Sci. 90, 1148-1152 (2003)
K. Troev, G. Grancharov, R. Tsevi, I. Gitsov
A Novel Depolymerization Route to Phosphorus-containing Oligocarbonates
Polymer 42, 39-42 (2001)
K. Troev, R. Tsevi, I. Gitsov
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