Diversity-oriented route to functional covalent triazine frameworks

Mollart, Catherine and Sherrett, Ellena and Heasman, Patrick and Peach, Michael J. G. and Rowling, Adam and Beck, Lewis J. and Varley, Ellie and Seed, David and Trewin, Abbie (2025) Diversity-oriented route to functional covalent triazine frameworks. Polymer Chemistry. ISSN 1759-9954

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Abstract

An alternative route to synthesise TCNQ-CTF by using trifluoromethanesulfonic (TFMS) acid catalysis is presented, in comparison to a previously reported ZnCl2-catalysed synthesis. The new synthetic route yields a polymer with additional structural diversity compared to the previously reported material. The composition of the framework is rationalised by ‘artificial’ acid-catalysed synthesis of TCNQ-CTF, together with a novel approach to structural feature identification, with a range of alternative structural features appearing that were not present in the previously reported polymer formed by ZnCl2 catalysis. These results will inform the design of new CTF materials with additional functionality and broader applications.