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Zhang YY, Yang GW, Lu C, Zhu XF, Wang Y, Wu GP. Organoboron-mediated polymerizations. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:3384-3456. [PMID: 38411207 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00115f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
The scientific community has witnessed extensive developments and applications of organoboron compounds as synthetic elements and metal-free catalysts for the construction of small molecules, macromolecules, and functional materials over the last two decades. This review highlights the achievements of organoboron-mediated polymerizations in the past several decades alongside the mechanisms underlying these transformations from the standpoint of the polymerization mode. Emphasis is placed on free radical polymerization, Lewis pair polymerization, ionic (cationic and anionic) polymerization, and polyhomologation. Herein, alkylborane/O2 initiating systems mediate the radical polymerization under ambient conditions in a controlled/living manner by careful optimization of the alkylborane structure or additives; when combined with Lewis bases, the selected organoboron compounds can mediate the Lewis pair polymerization of polar monomers; the bicomponent organoboron-based Lewis pairs and bifunctional organoboron-onium catalysts catalyze ring opening (co)polymerization of cyclic monomers (with heteroallenes, such as epoxides, CO2, CO, COS, CS2, episulfides, anhydrides, and isocyanates) with well-defined structures and high reactivities; and organoboranes initiate the polyhomologation of sulfur ylides and arsonium ylides providing functional polyethylene with different topologies. The topological structures of the produced polymers via these organoboron-mediated polymerizations are also presented in this review mainly including linear polymers, block copolymers, cyclic polymers, and graft polymers. We hope the summary and understanding of how organoboron compounds mediate polymerizations can inspire chemists to apply these principles in the design of more advanced organoboron compounds, which may be beneficial for the polymer chemistry community and organometallics/organocatalysis community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Yao Zhang
- MOE Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Key Laboratory of Adsorption and Separation Materials & Technologies of Zhejiang Province, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
- National Engineering Laboratory for Textile Fiber Materials and Processing Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guan-Wen Yang
- MOE Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Key Laboratory of Adsorption and Separation Materials & Technologies of Zhejiang Province, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Chenjie Lu
- MOE Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Key Laboratory of Adsorption and Separation Materials & Technologies of Zhejiang Province, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
- College of Material Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiao-Feng Zhu
- MOE Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Key Laboratory of Adsorption and Separation Materials & Technologies of Zhejiang Province, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Yuhui Wang
- MOE Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Key Laboratory of Adsorption and Separation Materials & Technologies of Zhejiang Province, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Guang-Peng Wu
- MOE Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Key Laboratory of Adsorption and Separation Materials & Technologies of Zhejiang Province, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
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Liu L, Zhao J, Zhang G. Chemoselectivity Streamlines the Approach to Linear and Y-Shaped Thiol-Polyethers Starting from Thiocarboxylic Acids. ACS Macro Lett 2023; 12:1185-1192. [PMID: 37552569 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.3c00407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Thiol-functionalized polyethers, especially poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), have extensive applications in biomedicine and materials sciences. Herein, we report a simple one-pot synthesis of α-thiol-ω-hydroxyl polyethers through ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of epoxides using thiocarboxylic acid initiators followed by in situ aminolysis. The efficient and chemoselective metal-free Lewis pair catalyst avoids transthioesterification thus achieving well-controlled molar mass, low dispersity, and high end-group fidelity. Kinetic and calculation results demonstrated a fast-initiation mode of the ROP for the strong nucleophilicity of the thiocarboxylate anion and its weak interaction with Lewis acid. The method is expanded for α-thiol-ω-dihydroxyl (Y-shaped) PEO by virtue of the stability of thioester during the ROP. The thiol functionality in linear/Y-shaped PEO is further corroborated by the intensified interaction with gold surface and the resultant protein resistance behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Liu
- Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, People's Republic of China
| | - Junpeng Zhao
- Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Guangzhao Zhang
- Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, People's Republic of China
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Liu S, Liu L, Zhou Y, Chen Y, Zhao J. Selective ring-opening polymerization of glycidyl ester: a versatile synthetic platform for glycerol-based (co)polyethers. Polym Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2py00551d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Linear polyglycerol is highly valued for its excellent hydrophilicity and biocompatibility as well as its multihydroxy nature. We report here a convenient route for controlled synthesis of polyglycerol through ring-opening...
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Zhang Q, Zhou Y, Chen Y, Zhao J. Ethoxylation of Phenols Catalyzed by
Metal‐Free
Lewis Pairs: Living/Controlled Polymerization in a
Slow‐Initiation
Mode
†. CHINESE J CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/cjoc.202100289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Zhang
- Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering South China University of Technology Guangzhou Guangdong 510640 China
| | - Yubo Zhou
- Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering South China University of Technology Guangzhou Guangdong 510640 China
| | - Ye Chen
- Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering South China University of Technology Guangzhou Guangdong 510640 China
| | - Junpeng Zhao
- Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering South China University of Technology Guangzhou Guangdong 510640 China
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates of Guangdong Province South China University of Technology Guangzhou Guangdong 510640 China
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Noncovalent Protection for Direct Synthesis of α-Amino-ω-hydroxyl Poly(ethylene oxide). ACS Macro Lett 2021; 10:737-743. [PMID: 35549103 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.1c00316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The synthesis of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) with amino end group, a key functionality for PEGylation, is a long-standing challenge. Multistep routes based on postmodification or covalent protection have been adopted to circumvent ethoxylation of the amino group by ethylene oxide (EO). Here, we report a noncovalent protection strategy for one-step synthesis of PEO amine. An amino (di)alcohol is mixed with a small amount of mild phosphazene base and excess triethylborane (Et3B) before addition of EO. The complexation of the amino group with Et3B guarantees that polymerization of EO occurs selectively from the hydroxyl group through the bicomponent metal-free catalysis. Simply by precipitation in diethyl ether, the protective Et3B as well as the catalyst can be removed to afford α-amino-ω-hydroxyl PEO with controlled molar mass, low dispersity, and complete end functionality. The effect of initiator structure and retention of Et3B on the storage (oxidative) stability of PEO amine is also revealed.
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