Macromolecules with programmable shape, size, and chemistry.

Shape, size, and composition are the most fundamental design features, enabling highly complex functionalities. Despite recent advances, the independent control of shape, size, and chemistry of macromolecules remains a synthetic challenge. We report a scalable methodology to produce large, well-defined macromolecules with programmable shape, size, and chemistry that combines reactor engineering principles and controlled polymerizations. Specifically, bottlebrush polymers with conical, ellipsoidal, and concave architectures are synthesized using two orthogonal polymerizations. The chemical versatility is highlighted by the synthesis of a compositional asymmetric cone. The strong agreement between predictions and experiments validates the precision that this methodology offers.
Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement: An invention disclosure related to this work has been filed: D.G. and D.J.W. filed a US Patent Application, January 2018.