Themed collection Polymer Chemistry 15th anniversary regional spotlight collection: Africa and the Middle East

Free radical promoted cationic photopolymerization has been described with its historical background, main principles and usage in polymer synthesis.

This mini review highlights the synthesis of poly(silyl ether)s (PSE)s through hydrosilylation and dehydrogenative cross-coupling polymerization routes in the presence of various catalysts.

Photoinduced atom transfer radical polymerization has recently been the center of intensive research in synthetic polymer chemistry because of the unique possibility of topological and temporal control in addition to precise control of macromolecular structure offered by conventional ATRP.

This review provides an overview of synthetic approaches utilized to incorporate the thiol-reactive pyridyl-disulfide motif into various polymeric materials, and briefly highlights its utilization to obtain functional materials.

Click chemistry reactions have been applied to the modification of major industrial polymers by analysing the synthetic approaches and the resulting material properties.

This review summarizes pH-responsive monomers, polymers and their derivative nano- and micro-structures including micelles, cross-linked micelles, microgels and hydrogels.

This review focuses on the advancements and progress in photoinitiated polymerization techniques mediated by thioxanthone (TX) and its derivatives.

Double click reaction strategies, which are a combination of different type of click reactions, allow the preparation of polymers with various topologies and the post-functionalization of polymers, which cannot be easily achieved by using only one click reaction.

The “click” chemistry concept is based on utilizing rapid reactions, which are efficient, versatile, and selective. Indeed, Diels–Alder (DA) reactions fulfill most of the requirements for the “click” chemistry concept. In this review, we discuss the recent reports concerned with the use of DA “click” reactions in the synthesis of various macromolecular architectures, bioconjugates and hybrid materials.

Benzotriazole (BTz) containing polymers are reviewed from a general perspective in terms of their potential use in organic electronic applications namely electrochromics (ECs), organic solar cells (OSCs) and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) in comparison with the structurally similar polymers.

Mechanistic aspects of the styrene–maleic anhydride copolymerization are reviewed. Based on published and new data, compelling evidence is presented that the copolymerization proceeds via the penultimate unit model.

A novel triptycene-containing A–B monomer bearing both phenazine activating aromatic o-dichloride and a catechol group was synthesized. This monomer is the first example of an A–B monomer used for the synthesis of a novel polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM). The synthesized polymer demonstrated good porosity, thermal stability and solubility in common organic solvents.

As a new synthetic route, we employed sequential double click reactions involving azide–alkyne and Diels–Alder reactions for the preparation of multi-miktoarm star block copolymers by using the arm-first approach.

This study explores the synthesis of dual pH- and thermo-responsive poly(N-vinylcaprolactam)-grafted-hydroxypropyl cellulose (PNVCL-g-HPC) polymers via visible-light-driven, metal-free organocatalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization (O-ATRP).

Rapid synthesis of polydithioacetals (PDTAs) under mild conditions in high yields and varying molecular weights in the presence of chlorodimethylsilane (CDMS) is reported.

Redox-responsive nanogels are prepared by exploiting the orthogonal reactivity of thiol–maleimide and thiol–disulfide exchange reactions.

Organoboron catalysts including an ammonium salt separated by a few carbon–carbon bonds to a boron center were designed and synthesized. Borinane-based organoboron catalysts exhibited highest activity for the copolymerization of CO₂ and epoxides.

In this work, a new strategy for the synthesis of self-healable/recyclable polybenzoxazine networks under mild conditions by exploiting dynamic B–O bond exchanges is presented.

A new design strategy is disclosed to synthesize conjugated microporous polymers using a Cu-catalyzed [4 + 2] cyclobenzannulation reaction. The polymers reveal BET surface areas up to 794 m² g⁻¹ and promising uptake of iodine and methylene blue.

Benzoxazines with thioamide linkages were successfully prepared by the Willgerodt–Kindler route.

Interfacial step growth polymerization within oil-in-water high internal phase emulsions was used to synthesize poly(urethane urea) monoliths, consisting of 90% organic phase change material encapsulated within micrometer-scale capsules, for thermal energy storage and release applications.

A novel strategy for one-pot preparation of block copolymers of benzoxazine precursors with polyetheramines is described.

A novel methodology for photoinduced metal-free Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) by using conventional Type II photoinitiators such as benzophenone, thioxanthone, isopropyl thioxanthone and camphorquinone as sensitizers is presented.

A new photoinitiating system involving electron acceptor dyes, namely, eosin Y and erythrosin B, in conjunction with alkyl halides and amines for photoinduced ATRP of (meth)acrylates and vinyl monomers in the absence of inorganic catalysts is reported.

A novel intrinsically microporous polymer was synthesized by polycondensation reaction of 1,1′,2,2′-tetrahydroxy-tetraphenylethylene (TPE) and 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoroterephthalonitrile (TFTPN).

Hydrogen-bonding organocatalytic controlled/living ROP of α-amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides.

A novel o-hydroxyl-functionalized spirobifluorene-based diamine monomer, 2,2′-dihydroxyl-9,9′-spirobifluorene-3,3′-diamine (HSBF), was successfully prepared by a universal synthetic method.

The successful sunlight induced ATRP of methyl methacrylate catalyzed by dimanganese decacarbonyl with an alkyl halide–Cu^IIBr₂–PMDETA system is reported.

The electrochemical, optical and intramoleculer charge transfer properties of two novel furan and benzochalcogenodiazole containing multichromic polymers were investigated.

Fluorinated main chain benzoxazine polyethers were prepared by Ullmann coupling of fluorinated benzoxazines in the presence of a nano-copperoxide catalyst.