Reactive Groups, Spacer Groups and Functional Groups in Macromolecular Design

Several aspects of modern design of macromolecular architecture are discussed: the influence and importance of functional groups which often dominate the characteristics of the macromolecular structure; the importance of the spacer groups that provide flexibility and allow the functional group to act independently from the main chain when the functional group is attached to the main chain. Examples are given for the synthesis of reactive, telechelic polymers, for polymerizability of monomers whose polymerizable group is separated from the functional group by a flexible methylene spacer, and the reactivity of functional groups separated from the main chain by a spacer group.