2019 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 45-54
Radical ring-opening polymerization (RROP), which is similar to cationic and/or anionic ring-opening polymerization, affords polymer structures containing the functional moieties originated from the monomer structures in the main-chain. RROP is one of the most significant strategies for not only an inducement of functional moieties in the polymer main-chain but also synthesis of various functional polymers, whereas such polymers cannot be synthesized by typical radical polymerization from vinyl monomers. In addition, the networked polymers are synthesized from multifunctional monomers such as variety of vinyl monomers, monomers with a radical ring-opening property, and thiol derivatives for radical addition reaction based on RROP. In this review, we describe the typical molecular design and synthesis of monomers undergoing RROP, and also demonstrate the synthesis and properties of polymers and networked polymers based on radical ring-opening system from recent our works.
