Densely grafted polyisocyanides synthesized by two types of polymerization techniques

A series of novel polyisocyanide‐graft‐polystyrenes and polyisocyanide‐graft‐[polystyrene‐block‐poly(butyl acrylate)]s were synthesized through the grafting‐through and grafting‐from routes with two types of living polymerization techniques: polymerization with the Pd–Pt μ‐ethynediyl dinuclear complex as the initiator and catalyst for the polyisocyanide backbone and atom transfer radical polymerization for the grafted side chain. Through the introduction of a chiral center at the side chain of the polyisocyanide backbone, helical grafted and graft block polyisocyanides were prepared through the grafting‐from method. All of the obtained polymers exhibited polydispersities in the range of 1.07–1.41. This might have been the first time grafted polyisocyanides were prepared, especially helical grafted polyisocyanides, through the operation of two living polymerization techniques.