Bridging Frontiers in Macromolecular and Supramolecular Sciences with Living Cationic Ring-Opening Polymerization of Self-Organizable Dendronized Cyclic-Imino Ethers Generating Soft Frank–Kasper and Quasicrystal Arrays

Abstract

Living cationic ring-opening polymerization accompanied by isomerization of cyclic imino ethers is performed at high temperatures that provide access to the synthesis of self-organizable systems in their isotropic melt or solution state. This Perspective discusses fundamental mechanistic principles of this polymerization and bridges with the polymerization of dendronized cyclic iminoethers forming polymers that self-organize soft Frank–Kasper and quasicrystal periodic and quasiperiodic arrays. These two fields represent frontiers in macromolecular and supramolecular science. A brief discussion of the impact of this polymerization on biomaterials and how it impacted contemporary mechanistic investigations is also made. Expected impacts via future synthetic developments and mechanistic investigations are discussed.