Click Chemistry in Polymer Science

The term ‘click chemistry’ describes a set of powerful, highly reliable, and orthogonal reactions that enable rapid assembly of molecular building blocks under mild conditions with high yields and minimal by-products. CuAAC ‘Click chemistry’ has revolutionized the field of polymer science by providing a robust and versatile toolkit for the efficient and selective construction of complex macromolecular architectures. In polymer science, these reactions facilitate the precise functionalization of polymers, the formation of well-defined block copolymers, and the creation of various advanced materials such as, star polymers, network polymers, and dendrimeric architectures. The unique attributes of click reactions, including their modularity, specificity, and compatibility with a wide range of functional groups have paved the way for significant advancements in materials science, biomedical applications, and nanotechnology. This chapter highlights the emerging principles of click chemistry with its transformative impact on the development of useful polymeric materials of notable applications in various emerging fields.