Hyperbranched Poly(α-aminonitrile)s Constructed via Catalyst-Free Multicomponent Polymerization of Trialdehydes, Diamines and Trimethylsilyl Cyanide

Abstract

Functional hyperbranched polymers, as an important class of materials, are widely applied in diverse areas. Therefore, the development of simple and efficient reactions to prepare hyperbranched polymers is of great significance. In this work, trialdehydes, diamines, and trimethylsilyl cyanide could easily undergo multicomponent polymerization under mild conditions, producing hyperbranched poly(α-aminonitrile)s with high molecular weights (M_w up to 4.87×10⁴) in good yields (up to 85%). The hyperbranched poly(α-aminonitrile)s have good solubility in commonly used organic solvents, high thermal stability as well as morphological stability. Furthermore, due to the numerous aldehyde groups in their branched chains, these hb-poly(α-aminonitrile)s can undergo one-pot, two-step, four-component post-polymerization with high efficiency. This work not only confirms the efficiency of our established catalyst-free multicomponent polymerization of aldehydes, amines and trimethylsilyl cyanide, but also provides a versatile and powerful platform for the preparation of functional hyperbranched polymeric materials.