Volume 136, Issue 31 e202402265
Forschungsartikel

Orthogonal Radical and Cationic Single-Unit Monomer Insertions for Engineering Polymer Architectures

Ze Wei

Ze Wei

Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, Ministry of Education, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081 China

These authors contributed equally.

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Wei He

Wei He

Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, Ministry of Education, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081 China

These authors contributed equally.

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Zhihua Liu

Zhihua Liu

Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, Ministry of Education, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081 China

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Yating Lin

Yating Lin

Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, Ministry of Education, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081 China

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Maolin Wang

Maolin Wang

Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, Ministry of Education, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081 China

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Liang Li

Liang Li

Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, Ministry of Education, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081 China

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Chunxiao Wu

Chunxiao Wu

Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, Ministry of Education, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081 China

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Prof. Sheng Yang

Prof. Sheng Yang

Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, Ministry of Education, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081 China

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Prof. Guhuan Liu

Corresponding Author

Prof. Guhuan Liu

Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, Ministry of Education, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081 China

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Prof. Ronghua Yang

Prof. Ronghua Yang

Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, Ministry of Education, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081 China

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First published: 17 May 2024

Abstract

The single-unit monomer insertion (SUMI), derived from living/controlled polymerization, can be directly functionalized at the end or within the chain of polymers prepared by living/controlled polymerization, offering potential applications in the preparation of polymers with complex architectures. Many scenarios demand the simultaneous incorporation of monomers suitable for different polymerization methods into complex polymers. Therefore, it becomes imperative to utilize SUMI technologies with diverse mechanisms, especially those that are compatible with each other. Here, we reported the orthogonal SUMI technique, seamlessly combining radical and cationic SUMI approaches. Through the careful optimization of monomer and chain transfer agent pairs and adjustments to reaction conditions, we can efficiently execute both radical and cationic SUMI processes in one pot without mutual interference. The utilization of orthogonal SUMI pairs facilitates the integration of radical and cationic reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization in various configurations. This flexibility enables the synthesis of diblock, triblock, and star polymers that incorporate both cationically and radically polymerizable monomers. Moreover, we have successfully implemented a mixing mechanism of free radicals and cations in RAFT step-growth polymerization, resulting in the creation of a side-chain sequence-controlled polymer brushes.

Conflict of interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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