Tang’s research group has been working on the development of new polymerization routes from alkyne reactions, and has succeeded in the syntheses of a number of new functional conjugated polymers from acetylenic monomers. The backbones of the acetylenic polymers are pi-conjugated due to the electronic communications between their electronically unsaturated repeat units. This unique electronic structure has the potential to endow the polymers with novel properties which are very difficult, if not impossible, to access by their congeners of condensation and vinyl polymers with electronic saturation. The prerequisite to realize this attractive potential is to establish versatile processes for synthesizing the polymers.
2) Progress in Polymer Science, 2020, 100, 101176;