CONTENTS

Abstract

Although numerous atoms are required to construct polymer chains, a slight modification at chain ends, pendants, or backbones leads to significant changes in polymer properties and macromolecular functions. For example, the introduction of chiral information in some of pendants induces helix formation, so-called sergeant-and-soldiers effect. The end-caping of polyesters improves the hydrolysis resistance. Furthermore, in polymerization and depolymerization, a very small amount of catalyst dominates the entire reaction system. And of cause, we can never ignore the fundamental units, monomers; their design and sequences are eternal thesis in polymer synthesis. This special issue introduces new polymerization/depolymerization procedures and polymer functions by such microscopic molecular designs.