Recent Progress on Controlled Polymerizations for Functional Metallopolymers

Abstract

Metallopolymers with precise structures and particular properties have emerged as promising functional materials. The applications of metallopolymers depend on the unique characteristics of the metal centers (such as electronic, optical, magnetic, redox, etc.) and the superior mechanical and processing performances of classical polymers. Access to accurately design metallopolymers with well-defined structures and chemical compositions has enabled researchers to detailedly investigate their performances and a series of advanced applications. Along with the rapid development of modern synthetic chemistry and polymerization techniques, various functional metallopolymers have been synthesized largely and have shown many potential applications. Especially, controlled polymerizations, including ATRP, RAFT, ROMP, living anionic polymerization, and so on, are currently attracting considerable attention for the synthesis of well-defined metallopolymers. These polymerizations have become versatile and powerful synthetic tools, which enable the synthesis of new metallopolymers with accurately controlled molecular weight, relatively narrow molecular weight distribution, composition (block, graft, alternating gradient copolymers), and various functionalities. In this review, we highlight the most recent progress on the controlled synthesis of various well-defined metallopolymers.

Graphical Abstract

The review summarizes the recent progress on controlled polymerizations (such as ATRP, RAFT, ROMP, living anionic polymerization, etc.) for various well-defined metallopolymers, and these polymerizations enable the synthesis of novel metallopolymers with accurately controlled molecular weight, relatively narrow molecular weight distribution, composition (block, graft, alternating gradient copolymers), and diverse functionalities.

Keywords:

• Metallopolymers
• ATRP
• RAFT
• ROMP
• Living anionic polymerization

Acknowledgements

The helpful discussion with Dr Jinwei Zhang (College of Biomass Science and Engineering, Sichuan University) is gratefully acknowledged.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 52163020, No. 22165029).