Sequentially hetero-functional, topological polymers by step-growth thiol-yne approach

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Organic Synthesis

Background:

• Sequence-controlled polymers (SCPs) like DNA and proteins are crucial in biological systems.
• Previous efforts in synthesizing SCPs have limitations in controlling independent functional groups.
• Artificial SCPs with independently addressable functional groups remain largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a facile and scalable method for synthesizing sequence-controlled functional polymers (SCFPs).
• To demonstrate the ability to incorporate and selectively functionalize diverse, alternating functional groups along polymer chains.
• To create SCFPs with various topologies, including linear, random, and hyperbranched structures.

Main Methods:

• Utilized radical-initiated step-growth polymerization.
• Employed commercially available monomers.
• Conducted a catalyst-free process in water as a solvent.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized SCFPs with alternately arranged functional groups (e.g., OH/NH2, OH/COOH, NH2/N3).
• Achieved selective post-polymerization functionalization to create DNA-mimic and hetero-multifunctional SCPs.
• Demonstrated control over polymer topology, yielding linear, random, and hyperbranched architectures.
• The process is fast, high-yielding, and uses water as a solvent.

Conclusions:

• Presented a user-friendly, general strategy for the facile and scalable synthesis of SCFPs.
• The developed method overcomes previous limitations in creating artificial SCPs with independently functional groups.
• Opened new avenues for designing advanced functional polymers with tailored properties for various applications.