英国牛津大学化学研究实验室Charlotte K. Williams研究组的一项最新研究介绍了混合物的序列控制，用以可切换聚合催化与未来材料应用。相关论文发表在2021年6月30日出版的《美国化学会杂志》上。

人们对高性能高分子材料的需求不断增加，同时也需要在整个生命周期内保持高分子材料的可持续性。由酯、碳酸酯或醚键组成的共聚物可以满足这一需求，因为它们的单体-聚合物化学更接近平衡，促进(生物)降解和循环利用；许多单体可以从可再生能源或废物中获得。

本文讨论了一种高效、广泛适用的共聚物制备途径，即利用单一催化剂，在不同催化循环之间切换，从单体混合物中制备嵌段序列选择性共聚物。该综述展示了该催化的原理、催化剂设计标准、共聚物的选择性和结构表征工具，以及所得共聚物的性质。本文讨论了热塑性弹性体、增韧塑料、粘合剂和自组装纳米结构，以及程序降解等用途。课题组还介绍了催化和产物的研究现状，以及未来的挑战和方向。

附：英文原文

Title: Sequence Control from Mixtures: Switchable Polymerization Catalysis and Future Materials Applications

Author: Arron C. Deacy, Georgina L. Gregory, Gregory S. Sulley, Thomas T. D. Chen, Charlotte K. Williams

Issue&Volume: June 30, 2021

Abstract: There is an ever-increasing demand for higher-performing polymeric materials counterbalanced by the need for sustainability throughout the life cycle. Copolymers comprising ester, carbonate, or ether linkages could fulfill some of this demand as their monomer–polymer chemistry is closer to equilibrium, facilitating (bio)degradation and recycling; many monomers are or could be sourced from renewables or waste. Here, an efficient and broadly applicable route to make such copolymers is discussed, a form of switchable polymerization catalysis which exploits a single catalyst, switched between different catalytic cycles, to prepare block sequence selective copolymers from monomer mixtures. This perspective presents the principles of this catalysis, catalyst design criteria, the selectivity and structural copolymer characterization tools, and the properties of the resulting copolymers. Uses as thermoplastic elastomers, toughened plastics, adhesives, and self-assembled nanostructures, and for programmed degradation, among others, are discussed. The state-of-the-art research into both catalysis and products, as well as future challenges and directions, are presented.

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c03250

Source: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.1c03250