Water-Soluble Three-DimensionalPolymers:Non-Covalentand Covalent Synthesis and Functions†

Water-soluble three-dimensional (3D) polymers are structurally ideal for the construction of ordered porous materials for in-situ and tunable loading and release of guests. For many years, studies on ordered porous materials have been confined to crystalline solids. Since 2014, self-assembly has been developed as a robust strategy for the preparation of water-soluble 3D polymers that possess defined and intrinsic porosity. Through the encapsulation of cucurbit[8]uril for aromatic dimers, ordered diamondoid supramolecular organic frameworks can be assembled from tetrahedral monomers. With [Ru(bipy)(3)](2+)-derived octahedral complexes as precursors, cubic supramolecular metal-organic frameworks have been assembled. One supramolecular organic framework has also been utilized to prepare the first homogeneous covalent organic framework through the [2+2] alkene cycloaddition, whereas the quantitative formation of the hydrazone bonds can be utilized to synthesize flexible porous organic frameworks. The new water-soluble ordered and flexible polymeric frameworks are able to include drugs and biomacromolecules to accomplish in situ loading and intracellular delivery and to enrich photosensitizers and catalysts to enhance discrete visible light-induced reactions. This review highlights the advances.