Linking electron-rich Pillar[5]arene into hyper-cross-linked polymers for highly effective adsorption of iodine vapor

Four hyper-cross-linked polymers were synthesized by linking electron-rich monomers with an electron-rich cross-linker via the Friedel–Crafts reaction. Among these polymers, P4, which was constructed with decaalkyne pillar[5]arene and bibenzyl chloride, adsorbed iodine vapor with a capacity of 3.930 g g−1, outperforming most supramolecular macrocycle-based porous polymers. The pillar[5]arene macrocycle contributed various types of adsorption sites, including aromatic rings, diynes, and oxygen atoms. The abundance of effective adsorption sites and the high specific surface area (1615.5 m2 g−1) were responsible for the excellent adsorption capacity of P4. Because these polymers are easy to synthesize and regenerate and can be mass produced, they are promising candidates for large-scale applications.