100% hyperbranched polymers via the acid-catalyzed Friedel–Crafts aromatic substitution reaction

Abstract

A highly efficient and benign strategy to synthesize hyperbranched polymers with a degree of branching of 100% was presented via a Friedel–Crafts aromatic substitution reaction of an AB₂ monomer, 5-(4-phenoxyphenoxy)isobenzofuran-1,3-dione, in the presence of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid. The molecular weight (M_w: 66.1–294.8 kDa) and the polydispersity (close to 2.0) can be tuned by controlling polymerization conditions. It makes it convenient to tailor hyperbranched polymers for potential application in functional materials.