Macromolecules with programmable shape, size, and chemistry

Shape, size, and composition are the most fundamental design features, enabling highly complex functionalities. Despite recent advances, the independent control of shape, size, and chemistry of macromolecules remains a synthetic challenge. We report a scalable methodology to produce large, well-defi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 2019-01, Vol.116 (5), p.1538-1542
Main Authors: Walsh, Dylan J., Guironnet, Damien
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chemical synthesis
Chemistry
Macromolecules
Organic chemistry
Physical Sciences
Polymerization
Polymers
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Summary:Shape, size, and composition are the most fundamental design features, enabling highly complex functionalities. Despite recent advances, the independent control of shape, size, and chemistry of macromolecules remains a synthetic challenge. We report a scalable methodology to produce large, well-defined macromolecules with programmable shape, size, and chemistry that combines reactor engineering principles and controlled polymerizations. Specifically, bottlebrush polymers with conical, ellipsoidal, and concave architectures are synthesized using two orthogonal polymerizations. The chemical versatility is highlighted by the synthesis of a compositional asymmetric cone. The strong agreement between predictions and experiments validates the precision that this methodology offers.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.1817745116