Cascade functionalization of unsaturated bond-containing polymers using ambident agents possessing both nitrile N-oxide and electrophilic functions.

We developed a powerful and highly reliable cascade functionalization technique for constructing sophisticated macromolecular architectures. Central to the technique are the ambident agents having combined functions of a nitrile N-oxide group and an electrophile. The agents proved capable of facile catalyst- and solvent-free functionalization of polymers and further integrations involving cross-linking.