Controlled Polymerization by Incarceration of Monomers in Nanochannels

Abstract

Porous Coordination Polymers (PCPs) composed of transition metal ions and bridging organic ligands have been extensively studied. The characteristic features of PCPs are highly regular channel structures, controllable channel sizes approximating molecular dimensions, designable surface potentials and functionality, and flexible frameworks responsive to guest molecules. Owing to these advantages, successful applications of PCPs range from molecular storage and separation to heterogeneous catalysts. In particular, use of their regulated and tunable nanochannels in the field of polymerization has allowed multi-level control of polymerization via control of stereoregularlity, molecular weight, etc. In this chapter, we focus on recent progress in polymerization utilizing the nanochannels of PCPs, and demonstrate why this polymerization system is attractive and promising from the viewpoint of precision control of polymeric structures.