Facile Synthesis of In-Chain, Multicomponent, Functionalized Polymers via Living Anionic Copolymerization through the Ugi Four-Component Reaction (Ugi-4CR)

Abstract

By combining living anionic polymerization and the highly efficient Ugi four-component reaction (Ugi-4CR), in-chain, multicomponent, functionalized polymers are facilely synthesized with efficient conversation and abundant functionality. l-[4-[N,N-Bis(trimethylsilyl)-amino]phenyl]-l-phenylethylene, which is redefined as Ugi-DPE, is anionically copolymerized to synthesize the well-defined in-chain, multi-amino functionalized polystyrene (P(St/DPE-NH₂ )), the backbone for the Ugi-4CR, via hydrolysis of the copolymerization (P(St/Ugi-DPE)). Subsequently, several functionalized components are facilely clicked onto P(St/DPE-NH₂ ) to investigate the model reactions of the in-chain, multicomponent functionalization via the Ugi-4CR. In contrast to conventional postpolymerization modifications, this approach proceeds under mild reaction conditions without the use of a catalyst and meanwhile an efficient conversation is obtained. Finally, the modified experimental results investigated in this research show the promising potential of the combination of well-defined amino functionalized polymers and Ugi-4CR in the field of multicomponent, functionalized postpolymerization modification.

Keywords: Ugi-4CR; living anionic polymerization; multicomponent functionalization; postpolymerization modification.