Efficient synthesis of trefoil-shaped tricyclic polymers by a ROMP-based blocking-cyclization technique

• Published in: Polymer chemistry Vol. 15; no. 6; pp. 534 - 543
• Main Authors: Wang, Hao, Ma, Cuihong, Han, Zhiying, Liao, Xiaojuan, Sun, Ruyi, Xie, Meiran
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 06.02.2024
• Subjects: Chemical synthesis; Metathesis; Physical properties; Polymers; Ring opening; Topology
• ISSN: 1759-9954; 1759-9962
• DOI: 10.1039/d3py01278f

Cyclic polymers have unique physical properties and attract extensive attention, but the precision synthesis of complex cyclic polymers is a challenging subject. Herein, by using a polymeric ladderphane with six living ends as the initial motif, complex trefoil-shaped tricyclic polymers were precisely synthesized by a ring-opening metathesis polymerization-based blocking-cyclization technique in a simplified process, where three macromolecular rings consisting of multiple repeating units were covalently interconnected at a single junction point, and the ring size was readily regulated by varying the feed ratio of monomers. The topological structures and physical properties of trefoil-shaped tricyclic polymers were fully characterized. Importantly, the molecular topology of trefoil-shaped tricyclic polymers was clearly observed. Therefore, this work provides an effective strategy for the synthesis of complex cyclic polymers. Complex trefoil-shaped tricyclic polymers with regulated ring sizes were precisely synthesized by a ROMP-based blocking-cyclization technique, their structures were characterized, and their cyclic macromolecular topology was clearly observed.