Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP)01:16

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP)

3.3K
Ring-opening metathesis polymerization or ROMP involves strained cycloalkenes as starting materials. The mechanism of ROMP proceeds by reacting cycloalkene with Grubbs catalyst to give metallacyclobutane intermediate which undergoes a ring-opening reaction to form new carbene. The new carbene reacts with another molecule of cycloalkene. Repetition of these steps leads to the formation of an unsaturated open-chain polymer product. All these steps are reversible, however, relieving the ring...
3.3K
Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry01:26

Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry

2.4K
The absorption of UV–visible light by conjugated systems causes the promotion of an electron from the ground state to the excited state. Consequently, photochemical electrocyclic reactions proceed via the excited-state HOMO rather than the ground-state HOMO. Since the ground- and excited-state HOMOs have different symmetries, the stereochemical outcome of electrocyclic reactions depends on the mode of activation; i.e., thermal or photochemical.
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
2.4K
Cycloaddition Reactions: MO Requirements for Photochemical Activation01:12

Cycloaddition Reactions: MO Requirements for Photochemical Activation

2.8K
Some cycloaddition reactions are activated by heat, while others are initiated by light. For example, a [2 + 2] cycloaddition between two ethylene molecules occurs only in the presence of light. It is photochemically allowed but thermally forbidden.
2.8K
Acid-Catalyzed Ring-Opening of Epoxides02:24

Acid-Catalyzed Ring-Opening of Epoxides

9.7K
Epoxides that are three-membered ring systems are more reactive than other cyclic and acyclic ethers. The high reactivity of epoxides originates from the strain present in the ring. This ring strain acts as a driving force for epoxides to undergo ring-opening reactions either with halogen acids or weak nucleophiles in the presence of mild acid. The acid catalyst converts the epoxide oxygen, a poor leaving group, into an oxonium ion, a better leaving group, making the reaction feasible. The...
9.7K
Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview01:26

Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview

3.2K
Electrocyclic reactions are reversible reactions. They involve an intramolecular cyclization or ring-opening of a conjugated polyene. Shown below are two examples of electrocyclic reactions. In the first reaction, the formation of the cyclic product is favored. In contrast, in the second reaction, ring-opening is favored due to the high ring strain associated with cyclobutene formation.
3.2K
Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes02:35

Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes

10.2K
The conversion of alkenes to macromolecules called polymers is a reaction of high commercial importance. The structure of the polymer is defined by a repeating unit, while the terminal groups are considered insignificant. The average degree of polymerization represents the number of repeating units in the polymer molecule and is denoted by the subscript n.
10.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Visible-Light HAT Photocatalysis for Switchable Polyethylene Degradation and C-H Functionalization.

ACS macro letters·2026
Same author

A Porous Interfacial Photothermal Layer of Fused Core-Shell Carbon-Polymer Nanospheres for Directional Salt Crystallization and Zero-Liquid-Discharge.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2026
Same author

HSP47 is a potential dual cell target and prognostic factor in pancreatic cancer.

Oncogene·2026
Same author

Heterogeneous interfacial polarization domain engineering toward lightweight skins with microwave absorption and passive radiative cooling.

Journal of colloid and interface science·2026
Same author

3D-Printable Nanoporous Thermosets via Disulfide-Based Polymerization-Induced Microphase Separation.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026
Same author

Additive Manufacturing of Ordered Polymer Nanostructures.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Functionalized Vinyl Monomers Using Perylene as a Visible Light Photocatalyst
06:49

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Functionalized Vinyl Monomers Using Perylene as a Visible Light Photocatalyst

Published on: April 22, 2016

12.5K

Photoacid-mediated ring opening polymerization driven by visible light.

Changkui Fu1, Jiangtao Xu, Cyrille Boyer

  • 1Centre for Advanced Macromolecular Design (CAMD) and Australian Centre for NanoMedicine (ACN), School of Chemical Engineering, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. cboyer@unsw.edu.au j.xu@unsw.edu.au.

Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England)
|May 12, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a new visible light method for ring opening polymerization using a photoacid. This technique enables dual wavelength light control for orthogonal polymerization, creating block and graft copolymers in a single step.

More Related Videos

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
05:48

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes

Published on: November 21, 2017

8.7K
Photogeneration of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: Application in Photoinduced Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization
12:19

Photogeneration of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: Application in Photoinduced Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization

Published on: November 29, 2018

9.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Functionalized Vinyl Monomers Using Perylene as a Visible Light Photocatalyst
06:49

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Functionalized Vinyl Monomers Using Perylene as a Visible Light Photocatalyst

Published on: April 22, 2016

12.5K
Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
05:48

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes

Published on: November 21, 2017

8.7K
Photogeneration of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: Application in Photoinduced Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization
12:19

Photogeneration of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: Application in Photoinduced Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization

Published on: November 29, 2018

9.1K

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Photochemistry
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Ring opening polymerization (ROP) is a key method for synthesizing polymers.
  • Controlling polymerization with external stimuli like light offers advanced synthetic capabilities.
  • Developing orthogonal polymerization systems allows for precise control over polymer architecture.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce a novel visible light-regulated ring opening polymerization method.
  • To establish a dual wavelength light-controlled orthogonal polymerization system.
  • To demonstrate the preparation of block and graft copolymers in one pot.

Main Methods:

  • Visible light-regulated ring opening polymerization using reversible merocyanine-based photoacid.
  • Integration with photoinduced radical polymerization.
  • Utilizing dual wavelength light to control distinct polymerization processes.

Main Results:

  • Successful implementation of visible light-controlled ROP.
  • Demonstration of orthogonal polymerization by switching between two different monomers.
  • One-pot synthesis of block and graft copolymers achieved.

Conclusions:

  • A novel and efficient visible light-regulated ROP methodology has been developed.
  • The dual wavelength light-controlled system provides precise control over polymerization sequences.
  • This approach facilitates the facile synthesis of complex polymer architectures like block and graft copolymers.