＂Click chemistry＂ is, by definition, a general functionalization methodology （GFM） and its marriage with living anionic polymerization is particularly powerful in precise macromolecular synthesis. This paper repor...＂Click chemistry＂ is, by definition, a general functionalization methodology （GFM） and its marriage with living anionic polymerization is particularly powerful in precise macromolecular synthesis. This paper reports the synthesis of a ＂clickable＂ middle-chain azide-functionalized polystyrene （mPS-N3） by anionic polymerization and its application in the preparation of novel shape amphiphiles based on polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane （POSS）. The mPS-N3 was synthesized by coupling living poly（styryl）lithium chains （PSLi） with 3-chloropropylmethyldichlorosilane and subsequent nucleophilic substitution of the chloro group in the presence of sodium azide. Excess PSLi was end-capped with ethylene oxide to facilitate its removal by flash chromatography. The raPS-N3 was then derived into a giant lipid-like shape amphiphile in two steps following a sequential ＂click＂ strategy. The copper（I）-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition between mPS-N3 and alkyne-functionalized vinyl-substituted POSS derivative （VPOSS-alkyne） ensured quantitative ligation to give polystyrene with VPOSS tethered at the middle of the chain （mPS-VPOSS）. The thiol-ene reaction with 1-thioglycerol transforms the vinyl groups on the POSS periphery to hydroxyls, resulting in an amphiphilic shape amphiphile, mPS-DPOSS. This synthetic approach is highly efficient and modular. It demonstrates the ＂click＂ philosophy of facile complex molecule construction from a library of simple building blocks and also suggests that mPS-N3 can be used as a versatile ＂clickable＂ motif in polymer science for the precise synthesis of complex macromolecules.展开更多
文摘＂Click chemistry＂ is, by definition, a general functionalization methodology （GFM） and its marriage with living anionic polymerization is particularly powerful in precise macromolecular synthesis. This paper reports the synthesis of a ＂clickable＂ middle-chain azide-functionalized polystyrene （mPS-N3） by anionic polymerization and its application in the preparation of novel shape amphiphiles based on polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane （POSS）. The mPS-N3 was synthesized by coupling living poly（styryl）lithium chains （PSLi） with 3-chloropropylmethyldichlorosilane and subsequent nucleophilic substitution of the chloro group in the presence of sodium azide. Excess PSLi was end-capped with ethylene oxide to facilitate its removal by flash chromatography. The raPS-N3 was then derived into a giant lipid-like shape amphiphile in two steps following a sequential ＂click＂ strategy. The copper（I）-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition between mPS-N3 and alkyne-functionalized vinyl-substituted POSS derivative （VPOSS-alkyne） ensured quantitative ligation to give polystyrene with VPOSS tethered at the middle of the chain （mPS-VPOSS）. The thiol-ene reaction with 1-thioglycerol transforms the vinyl groups on the POSS periphery to hydroxyls, resulting in an amphiphilic shape amphiphile, mPS-DPOSS. This synthetic approach is highly efficient and modular. It demonstrates the ＂click＂ philosophy of facile complex molecule construction from a library of simple building blocks and also suggests that mPS-N3 can be used as a versatile ＂clickable＂ motif in polymer science for the precise synthesis of complex macromolecules.
