Polyferrocenylsilane-based polymer systems.

The study of metallopolymers has blossomed into a mature field over the last few decades. Especially, polyferrocenylsilane (PFS) chemistry has taken a tremendous leap and continues to raise intense interest. Since the discovery of thermal ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of sila[1]ferrocenophanes, PFSs have been also accessed by anionic, cationic, transition-metal-catalyzed, and photolytic anionic ROP methodologies. A plethora of synthetic strategies have been devised, enabling access to a wide variety of copolymers, polyelectrolytes, and nanostructured materials. The distinctive physical properties and functions of many PFS-based polymers have been explored, leading to their apt exploitation in technical applications. Therefore, it is conceivable that PFS-related platforms might be indispensable nano-objects in the near future, as they stand on the verge of a new generation of sophisticated materials.