Chemists have long sought sequence-controlled synthetic polymers that mimic nature's biopolymers, but a practical synthetic route that enables absolute control over polymer sequence and structure remains a key challenge. Here, we report an iterative exponential growth plus side-chain functionalization (IEG+) strategy that begins with enantiopure epoxides and facilitates the efficient synthesis of a family of uniform >3â
kDa macromolecules of varying sequence and stereoconfiguration that are coupled to produce unimolecular polymers (>6â
kDa) with sequences and structures that cannot be obtained using traditional polymerization techniques. Selective side-chain deprotection of three hexadecamers is also demonstrated, which imbues each compound with the ability to dissolve in water. We anticipate that these new macromolecules and the general IEG+ strategy will find broad application as a versatile platform for the scalable synthesis of sequence-controlled polymers. Regioselective epoxide opening of an enantiopure epoxyâalkyne results in the stereospecific introduction of functional side-chains into growing macromolecules. This processâin combination with 'click' chemistry and orthogonal deprotection of terminal alkynesâunderpins an iterative exponential growth methodology that enables the efficient synthesis of >6-kDa stereo- and sequence-controlled polymers.
化学家们长期以来一直在寻找序列可控的合成聚合物,以模仿自然界中的
生物聚合物,但如何找到一种能够绝对控制聚合物序列和结构的实用合成方法,仍然是一个关键挑战。在此,我们报告了一种迭代指数增长加侧链官能化(I
EG+)策略,该策略以对映纯环氧物为起点,有助于高效合成一系列序列和立体构象各不相同、大小超过3 kDa的均匀大分子,这些大分子相互耦合,可产生单分子聚合物(>6 kDa),其序列和结构无法通过传统聚合技术获得。此外,我们还展示了三种十六聚体的选择性侧链脱保护,这使每种化合物都具有溶于
水的能力。我们预计,这些新的大分子和通用的I
EG+策略将作为可扩展合成序列可控聚合物的通用平台,得到广泛应用。对映纯环氧-
炔烃的位点选择性环氧开环反应,可将功能侧链立体定向引入不断增长的大分子中。该过程与“点击”
化学和端
炔烃的正交脱保护相结合,构成了迭代指数增长方法的基础,从而能够高效合成>6 kDa的立体和序列可控聚合物。