Imidazole-based Cu(i)-catalyzed click polymerization of diazides and diynes under mild conditions

Abstract

The exploration of new efficient catalytic systems is of significance for the promotion of azide–alkyne click polymerization (AACP). In this work, [Cu(Im¹²)₂][CuBr₂] (Cu-Im) with a fast and single-step synthesis was proved to be an effective catalyst for AACP. The polymerizations proceeded smoothly in THF at 30 °C in the presence of Cu-Im, and soluble and thermally stable polytriazoles (PTAs) with high molecular weights (M_w up to 32 000) were produced in high yields (up to 94%) in as short as 4 h. The resultant polymers showed high refractive indices. Moreover, by introducing fluorene moieties into polymeric chains, the resultant PTAs could be applied in explosives detection. The high efficiency and ready availability of reagents will make this imidazole-based Cu(I)-catalyzed AACP immediately useful for the construction of functional polymers.