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Regioselective C−H Xanthylation as a Platform for Polyolefin Functionalization
Author(s) -
Williamson Jill B.,
Czaplyski William L.,
Alexanian Erik J.,
Leibfarth Frank A.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201803020
Subject(s) - polyolefin , surface modification , xanthate , polymer , regioselectivity , polymer chemistry , functional group , bond cleavage , chain scission , materials science , chemistry , copolymer , organic chemistry , catalysis , layer (electronics)
Polyolefins that contain polar functional groups are important materials for next‐generation lightweight engineering thermoplastics. Post‐polymerization modification is an ideal method for the incorporation of polar groups into branched polyolefins; however, it typically results in chain scission events, which have deleterious effects on polymer properties. Herein, we report a metal‐free method for radical‐mediated C−H xanthylation that results in the regioselective functionalization of branched polyolefins without coincident polymer‐chain scission. This method enables a tunable degree of polymer functionalization and capitalizes on the versatility of the xanthate functional group to unlock a wide variety of C−H transformations previously inaccessible on branched polyolefins.