Properties and Applications of Sequence‐Controlled Polymers

Despite the challenges involved in the synthesis of non-biological copolymers with controlled monomer sequences, there are compelling reports of how properties depend on monomer order. The effect of sequence on a range of properties including molecular, solution and bulk phase behaviors is reviewed with a goal of identifying the types of properties that are most sensitive to monomer order. Within each category, the degree and type of sequence control present, ranging from block length in multi-block copolymers to monomer-by-monomer control in monodisperse materials, is discussed. Although examples remain somewhat limited due to the challenges inherent in synthesizing these materials, the extant data suggest that significant opportunities exist for future exploitation of application-targeted sequence engineering in synthetic copolymers, especially when the properties are molecular in nature, involve sequence-based recognition/aggregation, or manifest as complex behaviors that are based on more than one orthogonal characteristic.