1,1-polymerization of acetylene.

Cheng, Tairan; Qiu, Jiayao; Yang, Zedong; Li, Siju; Jiang, Huanfeng; Zhu, Shifa · Nat Commun · 2025

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

The polymerization of alkynes has long been a cornerstone of materials science, yielding a plethora of π-bond-rich materials and underpinning the 2000 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. While 1,2-polymerization of alkynes via 1,2-addition has been extensively studied, the 1,1-polymerization of carbon carbon triple bonds remains a formidable challenge due to the necessity of an alkyne rearrangement step during polymerization. Here we report the 1,1-polymerization of acetylene gas through a Cd-catalyzed iterative 1,1-carboboration process, achieving a broad terminal functionalization scope and functional group compatibility. This product, 1,1-polyacetylene (1,1-PA), also named as dendralene, exhibits unique physical and chemical properties, including an explosive tendency, distinguishing it from the 1,2-polyacetylene (1,2-PA) counterparts.