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)

3.2K
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...
3.2K
Actin Polymerization01:42

Actin Polymerization

8.6K
Actin polymerization occurs through the head-to-tail association of binding sites on monomeric actin or G-actin to form filamentous or F-actin. The polymerization can be divided into three phases ̶  nucleation, elongation, and steady-state phase.
The nucleation phase involves forming a stable nucleus consisting of three actin monomers to form a new actin filament. Actin-binding proteins such as formins and Arp2/3 complex help filament growth post-nucleation. The Formins form straight...
8.6K
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

4.4K
Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...
4.4K
Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility01:13

Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility

6.8K
Actin is a family of globular proteins that are highly abundant in eukaryotic cells. It makes up approximately 1-5% of total cell protein concentration. Actin monomers polymerize to form a complex network of polarized filaments, the actin cytoskeleton, that plays a crucial role in many cellular processes, including cell motility, division, endocytosis, and metastasis of cancer cells.
Actin cytoskeleton dynamics can produce pushing, pulling, and resistance forces that help the cell to migrate....
6.8K
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview01:13

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview

2.6K
Recently, the development of olefin metathesis polymerization advanced the field of polymer synthesis. Simply put, the reorganization of substituents on their double bonds between two olefins in the presence of a catalyst is known as the olefin metathesis reaction. The use of metathesis reaction for polymer synthesis is called olefin metathesis polymerization.
Ruthenium-based Grubbs catalyst is the most commonly used catalyst for olefin metathesis polymerization. Grubbs catalyst consists of a...
2.6K
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:10

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

3.5K
Chain-growth or addition polymerization is successive addition reactions of monomers with a polymer chain. In radical chain-growth polymerization, the reaction proceeds via a free-radical intermediate. The free radical is formed from radical initiators, which spontaneously generate free radicals by homolytic fission. Organic peroxides (such as dibenzoyl peroxide, as shown in Figure 1) or azo compounds are popular radical initiators. A low concentration ratio of radical initiator to monomer is...
3.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Dissipation behavior and risk assessment of four pesticides in shiitake mushrooms from cultivation to processing.

NPJ science of food·2026
Same author

Tuning Brønsted/Lewis Acid Site Ratios via Ammonia Modulation for Selective Conversion of Glycerol to 1,3-Propanediol or Solketal.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2026
Same author

Greater trochanteric bursal distension with intra-bursal rice bodies: an unusual MRI presentation.

Joint bone spine·2026
Same author

Pulmonary cement embolism: A rare complication of percutaneous vertebroplasty.

Medicina clinica·2026
Same author

Intralobar pulmonary sequestration.

Medicina clinica·2026
Same author

Nitrogen fertilization increases soil organic carbon through distinct pathways in contrasting cropland soils.

Science China. Life sciences·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Chemoselective Preparation of 1-Iodoalkynes, 1,2-Diiodoalkenes, and 1,1,2-Triiodoalkenes Based on the Oxidative Iodination of Terminal Alkynes
09:54

Chemoselective Preparation of 1-Iodoalkynes, 1,2-Diiodoalkenes, and 1,1,2-Triiodoalkenes Based on the Oxidative Iodination of Terminal Alkynes

Published on: September 12, 2018

8.3K

Organocatalyzed chemoselective ring-opening polymerizations.

Ning Zhu1,2, Yihuan Liu1,2, Junhua Liu3,4

  • 1College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211800, China.

Scientific Reports
|March 1, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A new metal-free organocatalysis method enables the efficient synthesis of thiol-functionalized polyesters. Diphenyl phosphate efficiently catalyzes ring-opening polymerization, yielding well-defined polymers with controlled molecular weights and high thiol fidelity.

More Related Videos

Ethylene Polymerizations Using Parallel Pressure Reactors and a Kinetic Analysis of Chain Transfer Polymerization
07:28

Ethylene Polymerizations Using Parallel Pressure Reactors and a Kinetic Analysis of Chain Transfer Polymerization

Published on: November 27, 2015

13.9K
In Vitro Polymerization of F-actin on Early Endosomes
12:15

In Vitro Polymerization of F-actin on Early Endosomes

Published on: August 28, 2017

9.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Chemoselective Preparation of 1-Iodoalkynes, 1,2-Diiodoalkenes, and 1,1,2-Triiodoalkenes Based on the Oxidative Iodination of Terminal Alkynes
09:54

Chemoselective Preparation of 1-Iodoalkynes, 1,2-Diiodoalkenes, and 1,1,2-Triiodoalkenes Based on the Oxidative Iodination of Terminal Alkynes

Published on: September 12, 2018

8.3K
Ethylene Polymerizations Using Parallel Pressure Reactors and a Kinetic Analysis of Chain Transfer Polymerization
07:28

Ethylene Polymerizations Using Parallel Pressure Reactors and a Kinetic Analysis of Chain Transfer Polymerization

Published on: November 27, 2015

13.9K
In Vitro Polymerization of F-actin on Early Endosomes
12:15

In Vitro Polymerization of F-actin on Early Endosomes

Published on: August 28, 2017

9.6K

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Organocatalysis
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Developing metal-free and protecting-group-free synthesis routes for functional polymers is crucial for sustainable chemistry.
  • Telechelic thiol-functionalized polyesters are valuable building blocks for advanced materials and bioconjugation.
  • Existing methods often require harsh conditions, metal catalysts, or protecting groups, limiting their applicability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a novel, efficient, and protecting-group-free method for synthesizing telechelic thiol-functionalized polyesters using organocatalysis.
  • To evaluate various Brønsted acids as catalysts for the ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone initiated by unprotected 6-mercapto-1-hexanol.
  • To investigate the mechanism behind the observed chemoselectivity and control in the polymerization process.

Main Methods:

  • Ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone using unprotected 6-mercapto-1-hexanol as a multifunctional initiator.
  • Screening of various Brønsted acids (e.g., trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, diphenyl phosphate) as organocatalysts.
  • Kinetic studies to confirm the living/controlled nature of the polymerization.
  • Density functional theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate the catalytic mechanism and chemoselectivity.

Main Results:

  • Diphenyl phosphate was identified as a highly efficient and chemoselective organocatalyst for the ROP of ε-caprolactone.
  • The method yields thiol-terminated poly(ε-caprolactone) with near-quantitative thiol fidelity, full monomer conversion, controlled molecular weight, and narrow polydispersity.
  • Kinetic studies confirmed the living/controlled characteristics of the organocatalyzed polymerization.
  • DFT calculations revealed that diphenyl phosphate's chemoselectivity stems from stronger bifunctional activation and lower energy barriers for the hydroxyl pathway.

Conclusions:

  • A novel, metal-free, and protecting-group-free organocatalytic method has been successfully established for synthesizing telechelic thiol-functionalized polyesters.
  • Diphenyl phosphate enables efficient and selective synthesis of thiol-terminated poly(ε-caprolactone) and related copolymers under mild conditions.
  • The developed methodology offers a sustainable and versatile approach for creating functional polyester materials.