Alternating Chain Growth Copolymerization of Isothiocyanates and Epoxides

Facile synthesis of recyclable polythioimidocarbonates via aromatization-driven alternating copolymerization of para-quinone methide and isothiocyanates

The efficient and controllable alternating copolymerization of para-Quinone Methide (p-QM) is rare and challenging. The aromatization-driven alternating copolymerization of p-QM with isothiocyanates is explored for the first time under mild conditions. In the presence of the key catalyst m-phthalic acid and the initiator TBD, the reaction can efficiently produce completely alternating polythioimidocarbonates with narrow molecular weight distributions and high molar mass (up to 103.6 kg mol-1). Experimental studies and DFT calculations suggest that m-phthalic acid plays a synergistic catalytic role. Remarkably, copolymers can be recycled back into monomers with excellent yields under vacuum at a temperature of 190 °C in just a few minutes without solvents or catalysts.

Copolymerization Involving Sulfur-Containing Monomers

Incorporating sulfur (S) atoms into polymer main chains endows these materials with many attractive features, including a high refractive index, mechanical properties, electrochemical properties, and adhesive ability to heavy metal ions. The copolymerization involving S-containing monomers constitutes a facile method for effectively constructing S-containing polymers with diverse structures, readily tunable sequences, and topological structures. In this review, we describe the recent advances in the synthesis of S-containing polymers via copolymerization or multicomponent polymerization techniques concerning a variety of S-containing monomers, such as dithiols, carbon disulfide, carbonyl sulfide, cyclic thioanhydrides, episulfides and elemental sulfur (S8). Particularly, significant focus is paid to precise control of the main-chain sequence, stereochemistry, and topological structure for achieving high-value applications.

Thioanhydride/isothiocyanate/epoxide ring-opening terpolymerisation: sequence selective enchainment of monomer mixtures and switchable catalysis

Lithium mediates sequence selective terpolymerisation of phtalic thioanhydride/PhNCS/butylene oxide yielding poly(ester-alt-ester-alt-dithioimidocarbonates) and enables block- and tetrapolymerisations.