

FOLLOWUS
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, National Engineering Research Center of Chemicals for Electronics Manufacturing (Reconstruction), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
shliao@xmu.edu.cn
Received:22 May 2025,
Accepted:08 August 2025,
Published Online:16 October 2025,
Published:05 November 2025
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Yi, M. Y.; Jiang, Y.; Liao, S. H. Photocontrolled solution [2+2] polymerization of p-phenylenediacrylate and depolymerization. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025, 43, 1973–1980
Miao-Yan Yi, Yu Jiang, Sai-Hu Liao. Photocontrolled Solution [2+2] Polymerization of
Yi, M. Y.; Jiang, Y.; Liao, S. H. Photocontrolled solution [2+2] polymerization of p-phenylenediacrylate and depolymerization. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025, 43, 1973–1980 DOI: 10.1007/s10118-025-3431-6.
Miao-Yan Yi, Yu Jiang, Sai-Hu Liao. Photocontrolled Solution [2+2] Polymerization of
We achieved visible-light-driven [2+2] solution polymerization of phenylenediacrylate monomers via energy transfer photocatalysis. This method yields cyclobutane-containing polymers with good thermal stability and processability
which are depolymerizable
showing potential for closed-loop recycling.
The [2+2
]
photopolymerization of bisolefinic monomers is an important method for the synthesis of polymeric materials. However
these processes are usually carried out in solid states under the irradiation of high-energy UV light
while the corresponding [2+2
]
polymerization in solution has proved to be inefficient due to the lack of preassembly of the monomers. Herein
we demonstrate that the [2+2
]
polymerization of
p
-phenylenediacrylate monomers can be achieved in solution under visible light by employing energy transfer catalysis with 2
2’-methoxythioxanthone as a photocatalyst. Because no preassembly is required
this solution polymerization is applicable to
p
-phenylenediacrylate monomers with different ester groups
affording a series of cyclobutane-imbedded full-carbon chain polymers with high thermal stability
good solubility
and processibility. In addition
by virtue of the reversibility of the photo [2+2
]
cycloaddition
this [2+2
]
photopolymerization product can also undergo depolymerization to lower molecular weight polymers
suggesting the potential of this class of photopolymerization in the development of closed-loop chemical recyclable polymers.
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