Synthesis of double-stranded polymers based on stereoregular rigid helical poly(phenyl isocyanide)s

Abstract

The double-chain structure of deoxyribonucleic acid exhibits unique and valuable properties. Despite notable advances in polymer synthesis, the precise and controlled synthesis of polymers with well-defined topological structures remains a major challenge. Herein, we report the synthesis of a series of bifunctional monomers with isocyanide and vinyl groups, enabling the stepwise construction of double-stranded polymers through a two-step polymerization strategy. This approach facilitated the efficient preparation of double-helical polymers with high stereoregularity and two nonparallel backbone strands. Chiral monomers were polymerized with palladium complexes to afford chiral helical polyisocyanides, which were subsequently converted into chiral helical double-stranded polymers through helically twining polymerization. The resulting helical architectures were characterized via circular dichroism spectroscopy. This study provides new insights into the design of complex polymer topologies and demonstrates a promising strategy for the synthesis of double-helical polymers with potential applications in advanced materials.