Synthesis of Optically Active Polymers Containing Carbohydrate Units as a Chiral Source and Exploration of Their Functions

Abstract

The development of valuable functional materials using abundant and renewable resources has been recognized as one of the most important aspects to break out of the over-dependence on exhaustible fossil fuels. In nature, we can find a variety of organic compounds with unique molecular structures. The incorporation of interesting structural features of natural products into molecular designs is highly attractive for material development because it provides a new avenue for creating innovative functional materials that would be otherwise unimaginable. This review summarizes our latest studies on the synthesis of novel optically active polymers containing a structural element of naturally-occurring compounds, particularly (poly)saccharides, and their application to chiral functional materials.