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

Polymers02:34

Polymers

39.6K
The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the...
39.6K
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

4.1K
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...
4.1K
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:20

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

2.4K
The polymerization process that involves carbanion as an intermediate is called anionic polymerization. It is also a type of addition or chain-growth polymerization. Anionic polymerization gets initiated by a strong nucleophile such as an organolithium or a Grignard reagent. The most commonly used initiator for anionic polymerization is butyl lithium. Monomers involved in anionic polymerization must possess a vinyl group bonded to one or two electron-withdrawing groups. For instance,...
2.4K
Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism00:57

Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

2.7K
The cationic polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination. In the initiation step of the polymerization process, the π bond of a monomer gets protonated by the Lewis acid catalyst, which is formed from boron trifluoride and water. The protonation of the π bond generates a carbocation stabilized by the electron‐donating group. In the propagation step, the π bond of the second monomer acts as a nucleophile and attacks the...
2.7K
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview01:13

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview

2.4K
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...
2.4K
Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers01:08

Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers

2.7K
Step growth polymerization involves bi or multifunctional monomers. Bifunctional monomers react to form linear step growth polymers, whereas multifunctional monomers react to form non-linear or branched polymers.
As the step-growth polymerization involves step-wise condensation of monomers, the molecular weight also builds up eventually. Consequently, high molecular weight polymers are obtained at the late stages of the polymerization, where 99% of monomers have been consumed.
The extent of the...
2.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Toward a Comparable Reactivity Framework for Type I Photoinitiators in Photocleavage, Photopolymerization and Light-Driven Additive Manufacturing.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Macromolecules with Tunable Fluorescence via Photochemical Step-Growth Polymerization.

ACS macro letters·2026
Same author

Understanding Wavelength-Dependent Photopolymerizations via Nano-Second Resolved Transient Spectroscopy.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Following the formation of single-chain nanoparticles generated by interblock crosslinking within diblock copolymers: a Monte Carlo simulation study with adjustable interaction strength between the blocks.

Soft matter·2026
Same author

Wavelength-Dependent 3D Printing: Introducing 3D Printed Action Plots.

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

Wavelength-resolved heterodimer [2 + 2] photocycloadditions for reversible surface grafting.

Chemical science·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 6, 2025

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

13.6K

Multicomponent Reactions in Polymer Chemistry Utilizing Heavier Main Group Elements.

Bryan T Tuten1, Christopher Barner-Kowollik1

  • 1Queensland University of Technology, School of Chemistry and Physics, Centre for Materials Science, 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia.

Macromolecular Rapid Communications
|October 12, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Heavier main group elements enable rapid polymer synthesis with unique properties via multicomponent reactions. This review highlights their use in polymer chemistry, encouraging exploration of the periodic table for novel materials.

Keywords:
main group elementsmulticomponent polymerizationsmulticomponent reactionspostpolymerization modification

More Related Videos

Mizoroki-Heck Cross-coupling Reactions Catalyzed by Dichloro{bis[1,1',1''-phosphinetriyltripiperidine]}palladium Under Mild Reaction Conditions
11:44

Mizoroki-Heck Cross-coupling Reactions Catalyzed by Dichloro{bis[1,1',1''-phosphinetriyltripiperidine]}palladium Under Mild Reaction Conditions

Published on: March 20, 2014

25.8K
Efficient Synthesis of All-Carbon Quaternary Centers via the Conjugate Addition of Functionalized Monoorganozinc Bromides
07:50

Efficient Synthesis of All-Carbon Quaternary Centers via the Conjugate Addition of Functionalized Monoorganozinc Bromides

Published on: May 26, 2019

9.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 6, 2025

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

13.6K
Mizoroki-Heck Cross-coupling Reactions Catalyzed by Dichloro{bis[1,1',1''-phosphinetriyltripiperidine]}palladium Under Mild Reaction Conditions
11:44

Mizoroki-Heck Cross-coupling Reactions Catalyzed by Dichloro{bis[1,1',1''-phosphinetriyltripiperidine]}palladium Under Mild Reaction Conditions

Published on: March 20, 2014

25.8K
Efficient Synthesis of All-Carbon Quaternary Centers via the Conjugate Addition of Functionalized Monoorganozinc Bromides
07:50

Efficient Synthesis of All-Carbon Quaternary Centers via the Conjugate Addition of Functionalized Monoorganozinc Bromides

Published on: May 26, 2019

9.6K

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Inorganic Chemistry

Background:

  • Traditional polymer chemistry relies heavily on carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen.
  • Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) offer efficient synthetic routes.
  • Incorporating heavier main group elements presents opportunities for novel material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of heavier main group elements in MCRs for polymer chemistry.
  • To explore the unique properties and applications of these elements in macromolecular structures.
  • To inspire further research into the use of diverse elements in MCRs.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on heavier main group elements in MCRs.
  • Focus on elements from Groups 13, 14, 15, and 16.
  • Examination of both familiar and unfamiliar properties and their role in MCRs.

Main Results:

  • Heavier elements facilitate the rapid development of polymers with unique characteristics.
  • MCRs incorporating heavier elements lead to materials not achievable with lighter elements.
  • Discussion of elements that participate in reaction mechanisms and are incorporated into the final polymer structure.

Conclusions:

  • Heavier main group elements are valuable building blocks in MCR-based polymer synthesis.
  • The exploration of these elements expands the scope of accessible polymer properties.
  • Further investigation into heavier element MCRs is encouraged for advancing polymer chemistry.