Synthesis of Functional Poly(disubstituted acetylene)s through the Post-Polymerization Modification Route

We report the recent progress in the preparation of functional poly(disubstituted acetylene)s (PDSAs) through post-polymerization modification routes. The metathesis polymerization of disubstituted acetylene monomers activated by Mo/W-Sn complex catalysts, which do not tolerate highly polar functionalities, was assumed to be a key step in the polymer synthetic procedures. We and other groups have explored several approaches to prepare PDSAs with latent reactive functionalities, which are inactive to Mo/W-Sn complex catalysts but can be used as highly reactive sites for post-polymerization modification. Click chemistry, Michael-type addition reactions, the use of activated esters and other strategies are demonstrated by recently published examples. These works indicate that post-polymerization modification is an efficient route to the synthesis of various functional PDSAs.