Click Chemistry in Polymer Science

Abstract

Since the introduction of “click chemistry” by Sharpless in 2001, it has been involved in a variety of chemical reactions, particularly in biological contexts, as illustrated by Bertozzi’s work. This chapter focuses on the applications of click chemistry in polymer science, with specific emphasis on cycloaddition and thiol-based reactions. Moreover, facilitating post-polymerization modifications like grafting, crucial for synthesizing drug–polymer conjugates and sensitive bioconjugates, will be discussed. In addition, the utility of click chemistry in amphiphilic polymer synthesis and facilitating controlled radical polymerization for various polymer architectures will be highlighted. Finally, the role of click chemistry in modifying supramolecular structures such as micelles and polymersomes will be shown.