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Published on: August 25, 2016
Click-like Aldol Polycondensation in air for plastic electronics and beyond
Hongru Chen1, Hongyuan Fu1, Xiaofan Shi1
1State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Polyaromatic materials, characterized by extended C-C/C = C conjugation, hold transformative potential for next‑generation plastic electronics. Herein, we present a click-like C = C bond-forming Aldol polycondensation that proceeds with exceptional efficiency and operational simplicity in air. Central to this finding is an enolate-mediated mechanism within a dual-catalytic process. Strategic control of adjacent heteroatom and ring geometry precisely modulates the proton transfer and the energy spans in the enol/enamine tautomerization pathways, thus the reactivity of ketone and imide monomers. This approach establishes both a design roadmap and a versatile tool box for tailored functionality. Notably, the in situ-generated acetic acid increases reactant oxidation potential enables air-tolerant operation, unlike conventional metal-catalyzed C-C couplings requiring oxygen-free conditions. This methodology facilitates rapid (typically within 30 min), modular assembly of multidimensional conjugated polymers, offering transformative potential for emerging plastic electronics and beyond.
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