Design of a thermally stable succinonitrile mechanophore featuring electron-withdrawing triazine rings for radical polymerization

Abstract

A novel, triazine-ring-containing succinonitrile-based mechanophore was designed and synthesized through radical stabilization energy calculations and molecular simulations. This mechanophore exhibits higher thermal stability rather than a classical mechanophore and a clear mechanochromic response via C–C bond cleavage. This enables its incorporation into polymers via radical polymerization. This study advances the design of thermally stable mechanophores and provides new insights into the relationship between structure and properties in radical-based mechanochemistry, offering new opportunities in polymer chemistry.