Soluble Hyperbranched Porous Organic Polymers

Soluble porous organic polymers (SPOPs) are currently the subject of extensive investigation due to the enhanced processability compared to insoluble counterparts. Here, a new concept for the construction of SPOPs is presented, which combines the unique topological structure of hyperbranched polymers with rigid building blocks. By using this facile, one-step strategy, a class of novel SPOPs which possess surface areas up to 646 m² g⁻¹ have been synthesized. The extended π-conjugated backbone affords the polymers bright fluorescence under UV irradiation. Interestingly, after dissolution in a suitable solvent that was slowly evaporated, the polymers retain a large extent of porosity. The SPOPs are potential candidates for gas storage and separation, photovoltaic, and biological applications. In particular, due to the presence of an internal porous structure and open conformations, they show high drug loading efficiency (1.91 g of ibuprofen per gram), which is considerably higher than conventional porous organic polymers.