Organoborane Polymers as Sensory Materials

Over the past several years our group has been pursuing the modification of polymeric materials with photo- and electroactive organoborane moieties. The tricoordinate organoborane moieties are inherently electron-deficient, featuring an empty p-orbital that may either undergo p-π overlap with pendant substituents or, most relevant to sensory applications, reversibly bind Lewis basic substrates.  Our recent results in this area will be discussed.