Helical Bulky Polystyrene Derivatives - Chiral Teleinduction and Self-assembly

Design and synthesis of novel optically active helical polymers are active subjects and frontiers in the field of polymer science. Optically active helical vinylterphenyl polymers are physically and chemically stable and are of potential applications in chiral recognition and asymmetric catalysis. In this review, the helix. sense-selective radical polymerization of vinylterphenyl monomers, chiral teleinduction in radical copolymerization, and self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers consisting of helical chains as rigid segments in solution and at the air/water interface are comprehensively introduced. The results obtained up to now are summarized and a short outlook on the development of optically active vinylaromatic polymers is provided.