Passerini Multicomponent Reactions Enabling Self-Reporting Photosensitive Tetrazole Polymers.

We introduce the synthesis of photosensitive tetrazole monomers via Passerini multicomponent reactions (MCRs). We exploit the MCR's tolerance toward various functional groups under mild, catalyst-free conditions in a one-pot reaction setup to generate tetrazole-containing monomers featuring a methacrylic moiety, which enables their subsequent reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. By employing tetrazoles with either a 4-methoxy phenyl or a pyrene substituent, further modifications of the polymers in a wavelength-orthogonal, self-reporting fashion upon irradiation with either UV or visible light become possible.

Prevent or Cure-The Unprecedented Need for Self-Reporting Materials.

Self-reporting smart materials are highly relevant in modern soft matter materials science, as they allow for the autonomous detection of changes in synthetic polymers, materials, and composites. Despite critical advantages of such materials, for example, prolonged lifetime or prevention of disastrous material failures, they have gained much less attention than self-healing materials. However, as diagnosis is critical for any therapy, it is of the utmost importance to report the existence of system changes and their exact location to prevent them from spreading.

A Guanidine-Based Superbase as Efficient Chemiluminescence Booster.

We introduce the guanidine-based superbase 1,5,7-triaza-bicyclo-[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD) as efficient enabler for chemiluminescence (CL) based on luminol in a simple, ready-to-use two component system.

Polybutadiene Functionalization via an Efficient Avenue.

We introduce a facile and quantitative postpolymerization functionalization methodology for 1,4-polybutadienes, allowing us to decorate their pendent alkene functionalities with bromine and alkoxyether motifs carrying an array of functional groups ranging from tetrazoles to pyrenes. Specifically, the approach makes use of a mild, metal-free, electrophilic cascade reaction employing -bromosuccinimide (NBS), a cyclic ether (i.e.