Synthesis of polymer-linked copper(i) bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) complexes of linear and chain extended architecture.

B iewend, M., et al. Polymer Chemistry 2019, 10 (9), 1078-1088, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C8PY01751D.

Here a novel synthetic approach towards poly(styrene) (PS)-based copper(i) bis(NHC) complexes with linear and chain extended different architectures and their defined activation for CuAAC by mechanical force is reported. A mechanochemical activation of these complexes is demonstrated in bulk quantifying the catalytic activity in a fluorogenic CuAAC click reaction with conversions up to 44%, which allows the use of these polymers as stress-sensors. Reproduced with permission of The Royal Society of Chemistry.