Synthesis of a star polymer library with a diverse range of highly functionalized macromolecular architectures

Abstract

An efficient and versatile synthetic route toward highly functionalized core cross-linked star (CCS) polymers with interesting structures and properties is presented using an alkyne CCS polymer as scaffold. The alkyne CCS polymer scaffold was initially prepared via an improved arm-first approach, through ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of 4,4′-bioxepanyl-7,7′-dione (BOD) with a poly(caprolactone-b-propargyl methacrylate) macroinitiator and stannous triflate (Sn(OTf)2) catalyst. Highly functionalized fluorescent, saccharide and amphiphilic CCS polymers were synthesized by grafting the alkyne CCS polymer with the corresponding azido substituted compounds via copper catalyzed 1,3-dipolar azid..