Metallo-Supramolecular initiators for the preparation of novel functional architectures.

Polymeric materials containing coordinative units have become a field of increasing interest. The combination of inorganic metal-containing units and macromolecules leads to supramolecular structures with new properties. One promising approach to such systems is the application of metallo-supramolecular initiators for living and controlled polymerization methods. The utilization of bi- and terpyridine units and complexes for this purpose will be discussed in this article.