Organocatalytic stereoselective cationic polymerization of alkenyl vinyl ethers and post-functionalization via click chemistry

Vinyl polymer tacticity is critical for regulating the thermal and physical properties of materials. Stereoselective cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers has gained significant progress in recent years, while monomer scope beyond simple alkyl vinyl ethers to access functionalized isotactic polymer materials remains to be explored but highly desirable. Herein, we report the successful development of a stereoselective cationic polymerization of alkenyl vinyl ethers by employing confined Brønsted acid organocatalysis. This organocatalytic system shows high efficiency and stereoselectivity in the polymerization of several alkenyl vinyl ethers, as well as good compatibility to the diolefinic monomers without touching the C=C bonds in the alkenyl part during the cationic polymerization, thus allowing for further modification on these C-C double bonds after polymerization to construct functionalized, isotactic polymer materials. Further, a series of thermoplastic copolymers with tunable properties and variable and predictable contents of side-chain C=C bonds can be synthesized through the corresponding stereoselective copolymerization. Sequential post-polymerization modification of both isotactic homopolymers and copolymers by combining thiol-ene and sulfur(VI) fluoride exchange (SuFEx) click reactions is also demonstrated.