Topological polymer chemistry by programmed self-assembly and effective linking chemistry

Ongoing challenges in topological polymer chemistry are reviewed. In particular, we focus on recent developments in an “electrostatic self-assembly and covalent fixation (ESA-CF)” process in conjunction with effective linking/cleaving chemistry including a metathesis process and an alkyne-azide click reaction. A variety of novel cyclic polymers having specific functional groups and unprecedented multicyclic macromolecular topologies have been realized by combining intriguing synthetic protocols.