Easy Access to Diverse Multiblock Copolymers with On-Demand Blocks via Thioester-Relayed In-Chain Cascade...

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Multiblock copolymers offer enhanced properties over simpler polymer structures.
• Current synthesis methods for multiblock copolymers are often complex and limited in scope.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient and versatile strategy for synthesizing multiblock copolymers with on-demand block architectures.
• To overcome the limitations of existing methods in terms of complexity and number of blocks.

Main Methods:

• A thioester-relayed in-chain cascade polymerization strategy was employed.
• Thioester groups were incorporated into the polymer backbone via controlled/living polymerizations.
• These thioester groups initiated acyl group transfer ring-opening polymerization of episulfides.

Main Results:

• The strategy enables the facile preparation of multiblock copolymers with a high number of blocks (up to ≈100).
• Compositions, number of blocks, and block degrees of polymerization are easily tunable.
• The synthesis is achieved in a minimal number of steps (2 to 4).

Conclusions:

• The reported cascade polymerization offers a straightforward approach to complex multiblock copolymers.
• This method provides access to a diverse library of multiblock copolymers with precisely controlled structures.
• The strategy significantly advances the synthesis of functional polymeric materials.