Synthesis and polymerization of C-vinyl- and N-vinyl-1,2,3-triazoles

Although they have been known for decades, the synthesis and polymerization of vinyl-1,2,3-triazoles have recently gained attention driven by the spectacular development of the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition, the most widely applied example of the “click” chemistry philosophy. Indeed, a broad library of vinyl-1,2,3-triazole-based monomers and polymers carrying aliphatic, aromatic, heterocyclic or functional groups has been reported so far. However, their polymerization has been scarcely reported and is subjected to a broad development in the near future. This review describes the synthesis and polymerization of vinyl-1,2,3-triazole regioisomers with respect to emerging highly efficient, robust and orthogonal chemistries as well as properties of the resulting materials and their potential for the design of smart and stimuli-responsive macromolecular objects.