The direct modification of commercial polymers remains a strong challenge due to their benign chemical nature. Such synthetic methodologies would widen the range of foreseeable applications of chemically recycled waste by allowing access to functionalized products possessing properties different from the parent polymer material. We developed a strategy for achieving efficient functionalization of commercial polyacrylates such as poly(methyl acrylate) through the use of 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD) serving as a nucleophilic catalyst for acyl substitution. Furthermore, this strategy exhibits high chemoselectivity during ester activation and provides a convenient pathway towards site-selective polymer functionalization.

Accessing functional materials through organocatalyzed post-polymerization modification

255th National Meeting (2018)

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