RAFT-Based Polymers for Click Reactions

Abstract

The parallel development of reversible deactivation radical polymerization and click reaction concepts significantly enriches the toolbox of synthetic polymer chemistry. The synergistic effect of combining these approaches manifests itself in a growth of interest to the design of well-defined functional polymers and their controlled conjugation with biomolecules, drugs, and inorganic surfaces. In this review, we discuss the results obtained with reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and different types of click reactions on low- and high-molar-mass reactants. Our classification of literature sources is based on the typical structure of macromolecules produced by the RAFT technique. The review addresses click reactions, immediate or preceded by a modification of another type, on the leaving and stabilizing groups inherited by a growing macromolecule from the chain transfer agent, as well as on the side groups coming from monomers entering the polymerization process. Architecture and self-assembling properties of the resulting polymers are briefly discussed with regard to their potential functional applications, which include drug delivery, protein recognition, anti-fouling and anti-corrosion coatings, the compatibilization of polymer blends, the modification of fillers to increase their dispersibility in polymer matrices, etc.

Trithiocarbonate-Mediated RAFT Polymerization Enables the Synthesis of Homotelechelic N-Vinylpyrrolidone Oligomers with Surfactant Properties

“…For instance, PVP 24 degraded with a three-step degradation profile. In general, polymers formed by LAMs have higher thermal stability than the one formed by MAMs . However, low molar mass polymers are less stable than high molar mass polymers.…”

End Group Analysis of Polyisobutylene Succinic Anhydride (PIBSA) Carried Out with Pyrene Excimer Fluorescence

“…Polymers with specific α-, ω-, or α,ω-chain end functionalities have found a bewildering array of applications including the stabilization of enzymes through PEGylation, surface/particle modification, block copolymer self-association into well-defined nanostructures, and the incorporation of specific stimuli-responsive blocks to a macromolecule . The success of these applications depends critically on the quality of the synthetic pathway leading to the end-functionalization of a synthetic polymer to be “click”-reacted onto a desired substrate. , Ideally, all chains of a given polymer sample need to be modified at one end with one same reacting group. Adherence to these strict requirements is greatly facilitated by the availability of numerous living polymerization techniques enabling the addition of reactive end groups capable of undergoing different types of click reactions resulting in the efficient coupling of a polymeric block onto its substrate. − …”

“…The success of these applications depends critically on the quality of the synthetic pathway leading to the end-functionalization of a synthetic polymer to be “click”-reacted onto a desired substrate. , Ideally, all chains of a given polymer sample need to be modified at one end with one same reacting group. Adherence to these strict requirements is greatly facilitated by the availability of numerous living polymerization techniques enabling the addition of reactive end groups capable of undergoing different types of click reactions resulting in the efficient coupling of a polymeric block onto its substrate. − …”

“…While the worth of the above methodology is well-documented and has been well-established in research laboratories, − end-functionalized polymers used in industrial settings are often not as well defined. In such cases, the characterization of the functional end groups helps to predict the composition of the final product to assess whether it will perform according to expectations based on results obtained in a laboratory setting with a structurally perfect sample.…”

Preparation of ethyl cellulose–glycerol tribenzoate microcapsules in CO2/N2‐switchable hydrophilicity solvent and solvent recycling

“…Polymer science has always been an attractive field for researchers, who focus on different types of polymerization [1][2][3][4] and different materials, [5][6][7][8][9] including microcapsules, [10][11][12][13] nanomaterials, 5,14,15 composites, [16][17][18][19][20] thermoplastic materials, [21][22][23] and polymer materials, [24][25][26][27] as well as their respective industrial applications. [28][29][30][31] In the past decades, microcapsule preparation technology has been widely developed and deeply studied, [31][32][33][34] it can be divided into three types, contained chemical method, physicochemical method, and physical method.…”