Single-crystal polymers (SCPs): from 1D to 3D architectures

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Crystallography

Background:

• Single-crystal polymers (SCPs) offer atomic-level structural precision, crucial for understanding material properties.
• Precise structural data informs polymer packing, interactions, and synthesis control.
• Controlled synthesis of SCPs, especially 2D and 3D forms, remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent progress in the synthesis of 1D, 2D, and 3D single-crystal polymers.
• To compare different synthesis methodologies for SCPs.
• To provide insights into structure-property relationships for guiding future polymer design.

Main Methods:

• Summarizing solution synthesis, topochemical synthesis, and extreme condition synthesis.
• Presenting and discussing approximately 70 examples of SCPs with unambiguous structural information.
• Analyzing synthesis methods and structural characterization techniques.

Main Results:

• Compilation of diverse SCP architectures (1D, 2D, 3D) with confirmed atomic-level structures.
• Comparative analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of various synthesis approaches.
• Detailed discussion of structure-property correlations derived from analyzed examples.

Conclusions:

• Advancements in SCP synthesis enable unprecedented control over polymer architecture and properties.
• Understanding structure-property relationships is key to rational design and bottom-up synthesis.
• This review provides a foundation for developing highly ordered polymers with tailored functionalities.