Precise syntheses of chain-multi-functionalized polymers, star-branched polymers, star-linear block polymers, densely branched polymers, and dendritic branched polymers based on iterative approach using functionalized 1,1-diphenylethylene derivatives

This review presents the precise syntheses of a variety of new chain-end- and in-chain-multi-functionalized polymers, regular and asymmetric star-branched polymers, star-linear block polymers, densely branched and graft copolymers carrying two branches in each repeating unit, and dendritic hyperbranched and star-branched polymers. These specialty polymers in terms of function and branched architecture are synthesized by recently developed methods using functionalized 1,1-diphenylethylene derivatives in conjunction with living anionic polymers based on the 'iterative' concept. In iterative methods, the reaction sites are regenerated after each iterative reaction sequence, and the same reactions may be repeated to afford successively and, in principle unlimitedly, the objective polymers until a steric limitation is encountered. Indeed, the above-mentioned polymers have been successively synthesized by the iterative methods. The scope, limitations, and possibilities for iterative methods will be discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.