This article features recent advances in the synthesis of conjugated polymers via a controlled polymerization. These polymerizations typically rely on transition metal catalyzed cross coupling reactions. The mechanisms of the polymerization protocols are discussed in detail. An overview of all possible protocols and all homopolymers that have been investigated is given. Next, the synthesis of copolymers-random, gradient and block copolymers-is reviewed. Another advantage of a controlled polymerization is the possibility to introduce specific functional groups, either at the beginning of each polymer chain by the use of an external initiator, or at the end of the polymer chain using an endcapper. Finally, topologies different from simple linear polymer chains are discussed. This feature article is complementary to other recent review articles on this topic. 1,2

A series of 5-nitro-3-[(5-nonsubstituted/methyl-4-thiazolidinone-2-ylidene)hydrazono]-1H-2-indolinones (3a-j and 4a-h) was synthesized by cyclization of 5-nitro-1H-indole-2,3-dione-3-thiosemicarbazones (1a-k) with ethyl bromoacetate or ethyl 2-bromopropionate. The primary antiviral activities of the new hydrazonoindolinone derivatives, the previously reported 5-nitro-1H-indole-2,3-dione-3-thiosemicarbazones (1a-k) and 1-morpholino/piperidinomethyl-5-nitroindole-2,3-dione-3-thiosemicarbazones (2a-l) were evaluated against some pathogenic viruses in the Rega Institue for Medical Research, Belgium. Among the tested compounds, 1c, 2b and 3b afforded some weak activity against the yellow fever virus (YFV) in vero cells, whereas compounds 2b, 3a, 3f, 4e and 4f inhibited the growth of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in MDBK CODA cells.

In this contribution, we report the synthesis of chiral all‐conjugated branched poly(phenylene ethynylenes) with a controlled amount of branching. Subsequently, the self‐assembly of these PPEs is studied by means of UV–vis, fluorescence spectroscopy, and DSC and the influence of branching is investigated. Finally, CD‐spectroscopy is used to study the influence of branching and self‐assembly on the chiral expression of these polymers. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 79–84

Two new polymer systems, poly(3-phenylenevinylene)thiophene (P3PVT) and poly(3-phenyl)thiophene (P3PT), were designed with the aim of obtaining a helical conjugated polymer via a living polymerization. The polymerization proceeded without transfer and termination reactions via the Kumada catalyst transfer condensative polymerization (KCTCP) mechanism, confirming the living nature of the polymerization. Solvatochroism and circular dichroism (CD) experiments showed the helical nature of P3PVT and the stacking behavior of P3PT in poor solvent conditions. Block copolymers of 3-alkyl-substituted polythiophenes and helical P3PVT were prepared to determine the aggregation behavior of such systems. Solvatochroism, CD, and AFM measurements showed that the blocks influence each other's behavior. If the P3AT block stacks before the helical P3PVT block organizes, one-handed helix formation is hindered. If helix formation occurs first, the stacking behavior is not influenced.

In this manuscript, several methodologies to obtain a living polymerization of dithieno[3,2-b:2′,3′-d]pyrrole are investigated.