Supramolecular polymers and networks with hydrogen bonds in the main- and side-chain

Control of polymeric structure is among the most important endeavors of modern macromolecular science. In particular, tailoring the positioning and strength of intermolecular forces within macromolecules by synthetic methods and thus gaining structural control over the final polymeric materials has become feasible, resulting in the field of supramolecular polymer science. Besides other intermolecular forces, hydrogen bonds are unique intermolecular forces enabling the tuning of material properties via self-assembly processes over a wide range of interaction strength ranging from several kJ mol(-1) to several tens of kJ mol(-1). The present review provides an overview of hydrogenbonded polymers, with a focus directed towards the type of hydrogen bond as well as their effect on the final, ordered materials. Thus, the ordering effects of single-, double-, triple-, quadruple and multiple hydrogen bonds are discussed separately. Furthermore, various architectures as well as the use of hydrogen bonds on planar surfaces to assemble quasipolymeric structures are discussed.