Recent Progress in Dative B ← N Bond-Based Crystalline Organic Polymers: from Structural Design to Functional...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Crystallography

Background:

• Traditional organic polymers often form amorphous powders due to irreversible covalent bonds and kinetic trapping.
• This lack of crystallinity hinders detailed structural analysis using methods like X-ray diffraction, complicating the understanding of structure-property relationships.
• Dative boron-nitrogen (B ← N) bonds offer a novel approach due to their directionality and reversibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in crystalline polymers utilizing boron-nitrogen (B ← N) bonds.
• To explore the development of B ← N-based polymer structures, from 1D to 3D topologies.
• To highlight emerging applications and provide guidance for designing functional crystalline covalent organic polymers/frameworks (COPs/COFs).

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on B ← N-based crystalline polymers.
• Analysis of structural evolution and topological diversity.
• Examination of applications in separation, catalysis, and energy storage.

Main Results:

• B ← N bonds facilitate error correction during polymer assembly, promoting high-quality single crystal formation.
• The review covers the progression of structural topologies in B ← N-based polymers.
• Emerging applications in separation, photocatalysis, and batteries are identified, with insights into charge transport and host-guest interactions.

Conclusions:

• Crystalline polymers based on B ← N bonds offer precise structural control and enable detailed structure-property relationship studies.
• These materials show significant potential in various applications, including advanced separations and energy storage.
• Further research into B ← N-based COPs/COFs is encouraged for designing next-generation functional materials.