Carnegie Mellon University
Matyjaszewski Polymer Group  ›  Former Members  ›  Grzegorz Szczepaniak

Grzegorz Szczepaniak

Grzegorz Szczepaniak

Postdoctoral Associate

  • MI-802
Address
Carnegie Mellon University
4400 Fifth Avenue
Mellon Institute
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Bio

03.2018 – present Postdoctoral Research Associate,

Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, USA

09.2019 Ph.D. in Chemical Science,

Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Poland

Research

My current research focuses on creating macromolecules by reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) methods. I am particularly interested in developing new ATRP techniques that enable the open-to-air synthesis of well-defined polymers.

Publications

  1. R. Yin, P. Chmielarz,* I. Zaborniak, Y. Zhao, G. Szczepaniak, Z. Wang, T. Liu, Y. Wang, M. Sun, H. Wu, J. Tarnsangpradit, M. R. Bockstaller, K. Matyjaszewski,* Miniemulsion SI-ATRP by Interfacial and Ion-Pair Catalysis for the Synthesis of Nanoparticle Brushes, Macromolecules 2022, 55, 6332–6340. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01114
  2. M. R. Martinez, S. Dworakowska, A. Gorczyński, G. Szczepaniak, F. De Luca Bossa, K. Matyjaszewski,* Kinetic comparison of isomeric oligo(ethylene oxide) (meth)acrylates: Aqueous polymerization of oligo(ethylene oxide) methyl ether methacrylate and methyl 2-(oligo(ethylene oxide) methyl ether)acrylate macromonomers, Polym. Sci. 2022, 60, 1887–1898. https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20220086
  3. S. S Yerneni, S. Lathwal, J. Cuthbert, K. Kapil, G. Szczepaniak, J. Jeong, S. R. Das,* P. G. Campbell,* K. Matyjaszewski,* Controlled Release of Exosomes Using Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization-Based Hydrogels, Biomacromolecules 2022, 23, 1713–1722. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.biomac.1c01636
  4. S. Dadashi-Silab, K. Kim, F. Lorandi, G. Szczepaniak, S. Kramer, L. Peteanu, K. Matyjaszewski,* Red-Light-Induced, Copper-Catalyzed Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization, ACS Macro Lett.2022, 11, 376–381. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00080
  5. J. Jeong, G. Szczepaniak,* S. S. Yerneni, F. Lorandi, H. Jafari, S. Lathwal, S. R. Das,* K. Matyjaszewski,* Biocompatible photoinduced CuAAC using sodium pyruvate, Chem. Commun., 2021, 57, 12844−12847. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1CC05566F
  6. S. Dadashi-Silab, F. Lorandi, M. J. DiTucci, M. Sun, G. Szczepaniak, T. Liu, K. Matyjaszewski,* Conjugated Cross-linked Phenothiazines as Green or Red Light Heterogeneous Photocatalysts for Copper-Catalyzed Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 9630–9638. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.1c04428
  7. K. Grudzień, W. Nogaś, G. Szczepaniak, K. Grela,* Larger scale Stahl oxidation with instant Cu removal in convenient synthesis of chiral bidentate N–heterocyclic carbene precursor, Polyhedron 2021, 199, 11509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.poly.2021.115090
  8. G. Szczepaniak,* L. Fu, H. Jafari, K. Kapil, K. Matyjaszewski, Making ATRP More Practical: Oxygen Tolerance, Acc. Chem. Res.2021, 54, 1779–1790. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00032
  9. F. Lorandi,* S. Lathwal, M. R. Martinez, S. Dadashi-Silab, G. Szczepaniak, J. Cuthbert, Reflection on the Matyjaszewski Lab Webinar Series and the Rise of Webinars in Polymer Chemistry, ACS Macro Lett. 2021, 10, 54–59. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.0c00806
  10. A. E. Enciso, F. Lorandi, A. Mehmood, M. Fantin, G. Szczepaniak, B. G. Janesko, K. Matyjaszewski,* p‐Substituted Tris(2‐pyridylmethyl)amines as Ligands for Highly Active ATRP Catalysts: Facile Synthesis and Characterization, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 14910−14920. https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.202004724
  11. G. Szczepaniak,* M. Łagodzińska, S. Dadashi-Silab, A. Gorczyński, K. Matyjaszewski,* Fully oxygen-tolerant atom transfer radical polymerization triggered by sodium pyruvate, Chem. Sci., 2020, 11, 8809−8816. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SC03179H
  12. G. Szczepaniak,* J. Piątkowski, W. Nogaś, F. Lorandi, S. S. Yerneni, M. Fantin, A. Ruszczyńska, A. E. Enciso, E. Bulska, K. Grela,* K. Matyjaszewski,* An isocyanide ligand for the rapid quenching and efficient removal of copper residues after Cu/TEMPO-catalyzed aerobic alcohol oxidation and atom transfer radical polymerization, Chem. Sci., 2020, 11, 4251−4262. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SC00623H
  13. S. Dadashi-Silab, G. Szczepaniak, S. Lathwala, K. Matyjaszewski,* Iodine-mediated photoATRP in aqueous media with oxygen tolerance, Polym. Chem., 2020, 11, 843−848.
  14. N. Mukherjee, A. Marczyk, G. Szczepaniak, A. Sytniczuk, A. Kajetanowicz, K. Grela,* A Gentler touch: synthesis of modern ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts sustained by mechanical force, ChemCatChem, 2019, 11, 5362−5369. https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.201901444
  15. M. Fantin, F. Lorandi, T. G. Ribelli, G. Szczepaniak, A. E. Enciso, C. Fliedel, L. Thevenin, A. A. Isse, R. Poli, K. Matyjaszewski,* Impact of organometallic intermediates on copper-catalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization, Macromolecules, 2019, 52, 4079−4090. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.9b00870
  16. Y. Sun, S. Lathwal, Y. Wang, L. Fu, M. Olszewski, M. Fantin, A. E. Enciso, G. Szczepaniak, S. Das, K. Matyjaszewski,* Preparation of well-defined polymers and DNA–polymer bioconjugates via small-volume eATRP in the presence of air, ACS Macro Lett., 2019, 8, 603–609. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.9b00159
  17. G. Szczepaniak,* W. Nogaś, J. Piątkowski, A. Ruszczyńska, E. Bulska, K. Grela, Semiheterogeneous purification protocol for the removal of ruthenium impurities from olefin metathesis reaction products using an isocyanide scavenger, Org. Process Res. Dev., 2019, 23, 836–844. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.oprd.8b00392
  18. A. Zieliński, G. Szczepaniak, R. Gajda, K. Woźniak, B. Trzaskowski, D. Vidović, A. Kajetanowicz,* K. Grela,* Ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts systematically modified in chelating benzylidene ether fragment: experiment and computations Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2018, 3675–3685. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.201800639
  19. G. Szczepaniak,* A. Ruszczyńska, K. Kosiński, E. Bulska, K. Grela,* Highly efficient and time economical purification of olefin metathesis products from metal residues using an isocyanide scavenger, Green Chem., 2018, 20, 1280–1289. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7GC03324A
  20. G. Szczepaniak,* K. Urbaniak, C. Wierzbicka, K. Kosiński, K. Skowerski, K. Grela,* High performance isocyanide scavengers for use in low-waste purification of olefin metathesis products, ChemSusChem 2015, 8, 4139–4148. https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.201500784
  21. G. Szczepaniak,* K. Kosiński,* K. Grela,* Towards “cleaner” olefin metathesis: tailoring the NHC ligand of second generation ruthenium catalysts to afford auxiliary traits, Green Chem. 2014, 16, 4474–4492. https://doi.org/10.1039/C4GC00705K
  22. P. Horeglad,* O. Ablialimov, G. Szczepaniak, A. M. Dąbrowska, M. Dranka, J. Zachara, Dialkylgallium complexes with alkoxide and aryloxide ligands possessing N-heterocyclic carbene functionalities: synthesis and structure, Organometallics 2014, 33, 100–111. https://doi.org/10.1021/om400863y
  23. P. Horeglad,* A. Litwińska, G. Z. Żukowska, D. Kubicki, G. Szczepaniak, M. Dranka, J. Zachara, The influence of organosuperbases on the structure and activity of dialkylgallium alkoxides in the polymerization of rac-lactide: the road to stereo diblock PLA copolymers,Appl. Organometal. Chem. 2013, 27, 328–336. https://doi.org/10.1002/aoc.2978
  24. C. Torborg, G. Szczepaniak, A. Zieliński, M. Malińska, K. Woźniak, K. Grela,* Stable ruthenium indenylidene complexes with a sterically reduced NHC ligand, Chem. Commun. 2013, 49, 3188–3190. https://doi.org/10.1039/C2CC37514A
  25. K. Skowerski, C. Wierzbicka, G. Szczepaniak, Ł. Gułajski, M. Bieniek, K. Grela,* Easily removable olefin metathesis catalysts, Green Chem. 2012, 14, 3264–3268. https://doi.org/10.1039/C2GC36015B
  26. K. Skowerski,* G. Szczepaniak, C. Wierzbicka, Ł. Gułajski, M. Bieniek, K. Grela, Highly active catalysts for olefin metathesis in water, Catal. Sci. Technol. 2012, 2, 2424–2427. https://doi.org/10.1039/C2CY20320K
  27. P. Horeglad,* G. Szczepaniak, M. Dranka, J. Zachara, The first facile stereoselectivity switch in the polymerization of rac-lactide—from heteroselective to isoselective dialkylgallium alkoxides with the help of N-heterocyclic carbenes, Chem. Commun. 2012, 48, 1171–1173. https://doi.org/10.1039/C2CY20320K

Patents

  1. G. Szczepaniak, S. Czarnocki, K. Skowerski, Use of metal scavengers for removal of ruthenium residues, EP2882877 (B1), WO2014174501 (A4).
  2. K. Skowerski, Ł. Gułajski, M. Bieniek, S. Czarnocki, G. Szczepaniak, C. Wierzbicka, Metathesis catalysts containing onium groups, EP2820027 (B1), WO2013127880 (A1).
  3. K. Grela, C. Torborg, G. Szczepaniak, A. Zieliński, Metal complexes, especially the ruthenium complexes, and use thereof EP2885310 (B1), WO2014027040 (A1).

Awards and fellowships

09.2017 Moblity+ fellowship awarded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education

03.2017 Selected to attend the 68th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting

10.2016 Etiuda fellowship awarded by the National Science Centre

05.2016 START scholarship awarded by the Foundation for Polish Science

10.2014 KNOW scholarship awarded by Warsaw Consortium of Academic Chemistry for the academic year 2014/2015

10.2014 Scholarship for the outstanding Ph.D. students for the academic year 2014/2015 awarded by the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw

10.2013 Scholarship for the outstanding Ph.D. students for the academic year 2013/2014 awarded by the Rector of the University of Warsaw

10.2013 KNOW scholarship awarded by the Warsaw Consortium of Academic Chemistry for the academic year 2013/2014

10.2013 Scholarship for the outstanding Ph.D. students for the academic year 2013/2014 awarded by the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw

07.2013 Venture fellowship awarded by the Foundation for Polish Science

10.2012 Scholarship for the outstanding Ph.D. students for the academic year 2012/2013 awarded by the Rector of the University of Warsaw

10.2012 Scholarship for the outstanding Ph.D. students for the academic year 2012/2013 awarded by the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw

03.2009 TEAM scholarship awarded by the Foundation for Polish Science

10.2007 Ministry of Science and Higher Education scholarship for the outstanding students for the academic year 2007/2008

12.2007 2nd Award at European Union Contest for Young Scientists, polish edition