Evolution of catalyst transfer polymerization toward complex conjugated polymer architectures

Abstract

The rise of conjugated polymer (CP)-based modern organic electronics in today’s digital landscape has necessitated the precise synthesis and design of desired CPs and their architectures. This emphasizes the need for constant improvement in synthetic techniques to achieve targeted properties for device applications. In this review, we explore the gradual evolution of various kinds of catalyst transfer polymerization (CTP) methods, including Kumada, Suzuki–Miyaura, Stille, Negishi, Murahashi, and Sonogashira polymerizations, as well as the growing field of direct arylation polymerization (DArP), which exhibit certain aspects of the controlled chain polymerization mechanism, enabling the synthesis of simple CPs to complex architectures with enhanced precision. Our discussion focuses on key advancements within the Kumada and Suzuki–Miyaura catalyst transfer polymerization methods, which have played a significant role in this development. Additionally, we review the ongoing progress in other CTP types. Finally, we address the efforts made by researchers in DArP toward achieving living characteristics, which offer hope for more sustainable and efficient pathways for the precise synthesis of CPs and their structures in the future. This review covers the gradual evolution of various catalyst transfer polymerization (CTP) methods, focusing on Kumada CTP and Suzuki-Miyaura CTP, which have notably advanced the synthesis of simple conjugated polymers (CPs) toward more complex, precisely controlled architectures. It addresses progress in other CTP methods such as Stille, Negishi, Murahashi, and Sonogashira, which are steady but gradual and significant to the discussion. It concludes by discussing the emerging field of direct arylation polymerization, which exhibits certain aspects of living polymerization behaviour, providing a sustainable and efficient pathway for synthesizing CP-based architectures.