Construction of Axially Chiral Polymers by Asymmetric C–H Activation Polymerization

Z Zhen‐Kai Wang (Beijing National Laboratory For Molecular Sciences (BNLMS) College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education Peking University Beijing China) L Long‐Xiang Lin (Beijing National Laboratory For Molecular Sciences (BNLMS) College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education Peking University Beijing China) X Xiang‐Yu Huang (Beijing National Laboratory For Molecular Sciences (BNLMS) College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education Peking University Beijing China) Z Zhi‐Hao Xie (Beijing National Laboratory For Molecular Sciences (BNLMS) Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education Center For Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering Peking University Beijing China) H Hang Lv (Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Jilin University , Changchun 130012,) W Wei He H Han‐Yuan Liu (Beijing National Laboratory For Molecular Sciences (BNLMS) College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education Peking University Beijing China) Q Qiao Song (Institute of Materials Research) Z Ze‐Fan Yao (Beijing National Laboratory For Molecular Sciences (BNLMS) Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education Center For Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering Peking University Beijing China) J Jian Pei Y Yang Jiao

Abstract

ABSTRACT Chiral polymers hold great potential in biomimics and synthetic materials, owing to their unique properties associated with diverse forms of chirality. Although polymers with central chirality are well‐developed, axially chiral polymers remain underexplored, presumably due to the lack of efficient synthetic methods. Herein, we develop a new strategy of asymmetric C–H activation polymerization for constructing axially chiral side chain polymers from prochiral monomers. Based on sequential Co‐catalyzed C–H activation/annulation, the polymerization proceeds in a quantitative manner, affording a range of axially chiral side chain polymers with high molecular weights, diverse chemical structures and tunable chiroptical properties. Furthermore, by stereochemical analysis of carefully designed model reactions, we have unambiguously confirmed excellent atroposelectivity control over the polymerization. This efficient strategy, which represents a significant advance in polymer synthesis, could open up new avenues for the design of chiral polymer materials with desirable properties.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 1, Issue 1
Published July 24, 2026
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (11)

Z

Zhen‐Kai Wang

Beijing National Laboratory For Molecular Sciences (BNLMS) College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education Peking University Beijing China

L

Long‐Xiang Lin

Beijing National Laboratory For Molecular Sciences (BNLMS) College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education Peking University Beijing China

X

Xiang‐Yu Huang

Beijing National Laboratory For Molecular Sciences (BNLMS) College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education Peking University Beijing China

Z

Zhi‐Hao Xie

Beijing National Laboratory For Molecular Sciences (BNLMS) Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education Center For Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering Peking University Beijing China

H

Hang Lv

Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Jilin University , Changchun 130012,

W

Wei He

H

Han‐Yuan Liu

Beijing National Laboratory For Molecular Sciences (BNLMS) College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education Peking University Beijing China

Q

Qiao Song

Institute of Materials Research

Z

Ze‐Fan Yao

Beijing National Laboratory For Molecular Sciences (BNLMS) Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education Center For Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering Peking University Beijing China

J

Jian Pei

Y

Yang Jiao