Modular synthesis of well-defined macromoleculararchitectures

“Click” chemistry, and the copper(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition of azides and terminal alkynes in particular, has recently taken a tremendous flight in the field of polymer chemistry. One of the main reasons for this revolution stems from the fact that scientists want to gain control over polymer structures in order to adapt to a specific application environment. Nowadays, a wide range of living and controlled polymerization techniques is available to prepare polymer architectures with a large variety of distinct topologies, functionality, predetermined degree of polymerization and narrow molecular weight distribution. In combination with specific and efficient coupling chemistry, like a click reaction, macromolecular architectures can be synthesized which are hard to assess otherwise. In this respect click chemistry absolutely has added value in polymer science... This book reviews the use of the copper(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition of azides and alkynes along with the controlled radical polymerization technique atom transfer radical polymerization. This methodology was applied in order to prepare AB and ABC type block copolymers, macrocyclic polymers and to attach biomolecules.