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Supramolecular copolymerization through self-correction of non-polymerizable transient intermediates
Ganyu Chen1, Peichen Shi1, Longhui Zeng1
1State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P. R. China llyang@xmu.edu.cn.
Chemical Science
|July 22, 2022
Summary
Researchers uncovered complex polymerization pathways in self-sorting supramolecular copolymerization. They identified an
Area of Science:
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Polymer Science
- Chemical Kinetics
Background:
- Kinetic control is crucial for complex assembly systems.
- Understanding transient intermediates aids in deciphering assembly evolution.
- Quantitative kinetic analysis is often overlooked in supramolecular polymerizations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the unsolved evolution mechanism of a self-sorting supramolecular copolymerization system.
- To quantitatively analyze complex pathways and transient intermediates in situ.
- To explore novel polymerization mechanisms and assembly strategies.
Main Methods:
- Utilized multidimensional NMR techniques.
- Employed microfluidic technology for in situ analysis.
- Combined kinetic and thermodynamic analyses for comprehensive understanding.
Main Results:
- Revealed unexpected and complex polymerization pathways.
- Identified a counterintuitive pathway involving 'error-correction' of non-polymerizable intermediates.
- Unraveled a non-classical step-growth polymerization process governed by self-sorting.
Conclusions:
- Transient intermediates play a key role in self-sorting supramolecular systems.
- The strategy of coupling microfluidics with characterization techniques offers a versatile kinetic analysis toolkit.
- Understanding kinetic and thermodynamic aspects is essential for engineering complex assembly systems.
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