Multicomponent Polymerization System Combining Hantzsch Reaction and Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer to Efficiently Synthesize Well-Defined Poly(1,4-dihydropyridine)s

A novel multicomponent system has been constructed through the combination of Hantzsch reaction and reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization in a one-pot manner. Compared to traditional stepwise methods, this one-pot system exhibits much more advantages to facilely and efficiently prepare well-defined poly(1,4-dihydropyridine)s (poly(1,4-DHP)s). A series of poly(1,4-DHP) derivatives have also been successfully prepared through this Hantzsch-RAFT system using different aldehydes as reactants, suggesting this system is a general and versatile approach to prepare well-defined functional polymers with 1,4-DHPs as side groups. Since 1,4-DHP derivatives are an important class of bioactive molecules in the pharmaceutical field, this simple method to prepare poly(1,4-DHP)s might have potential to prepare related functional polymers for biological and pharmaceutical applications.