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Synfacts 2008(2): 0145-0145  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-992424
Synthesis of Materials and Unnatural Products
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Borylation of Polystyrene

Contributor(s): Timothy M. Swager, Ryan M. Moslin
J. Shin, S. M. Jensen, J. Ju, S. Lee*, Z. Xue, S. K. Noh*, C. Bae*
University of Nevada Las Vegas, USA; Chonnam National University, Gwangju and Yeungnam University, Gyeongbook, South Korea
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Publication History

Publication Date:
23 January 2008 (online)

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Significance

Polystyrene (syndiotactic, isotactic, and atactic) is functionalized with a boronate ester via iridium-catalyzed C-H activation. Without disrupting the polymer backbone, the authors are able to functionalize up to 42% of the phenyl rings with the boronate ester. This provides a handle for further functionalization as demonstrated by oxidation of the C-B bond and a Suzuki coupling. Since the molecular weights of the polymer were not affected by these reactions, higher molecular weight polymers could be accessed in this manner than would be accessible via a stereospecific co-polymerization.