From controlled radical polymerization of vinyl ether to polymerization-induced self-assembly

Vinyl ether (VE) was long believed to be among the monomers that could not radically homopolymerized. Therefore, synthesize block copolymers with versatile polymerizable monomers, efficient transformation reactions were necessary between living cationic and controlled radical polymerizations. Under such circumstances, some groundbreaking polymerizations have been discovered. One reaction, a metal-free RAFT polymerization, enabled in situ introduction of thiocarbonylthio moiety into poly(VE)s. This technique produced using both processes. Advances research made it possible perform homopolymerization hydroxy-functional VE. achievement attributed hydrogen bonding VE oxygen hydroxy group reduced reactivity growing radical. Consequently, polymerization achieved due bonds and/or cation-? interactions propagating Thus, vinyl became monomer. By resulting poly(VE) as thermoresponsive polymer reactive emulsifier for polymerization-induced self-assembly, various functional polymers nano-objects can obtained. review focuses on VEs related self-assemblies.