Modulating catalytic activity of polymer-based cuAAC “click” reactions
(4539–4548)Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer  Chemistry 49 #21 (2011)
Bell et al ofthe University of Queensland and the University of Sydney, Australia, used the copper(I)-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction  to synthesize complex polymer architectures.  In this work, we demonstrate the control of this reaction at 25 °C between polystyrene (PSTY) chains through modulating the catalytic activity by varying the combinations of copper source (i.e., Cu(I)Br or copper wire), ligand (PMDETA and/or triazole ligand), and solvent (toluene or DMF).  The fastest rate of CuAAC was found using Cu(I)Br/PMDETA ligand in toluene, reaching near full conversion after 15 min at 25 °C.  For the same catalysts system, DMF also gave fast rates of “click” (95% conversion in 25 min). Cu(0) wire in toluene gave a conversion of 98% after 600 min, a much higher rate than that observed for the same catalyst system used in DMF. When the PSTY had a chemically bound triazole ring close to the site of reaction, the rate of CuAAC in toluene increased significantly, 97% in 180 min at 25 °C, in agreement with our previously published results. This suggests that rapid rates can be obtained using copper wire and will have direct applications to the synthesis of compound where air, removal of copper, and reuse of the copper catalyst are required.  (RDC 10/4/2011)

Click synthesis and adhesive properties of novel biomass-based polymers from lignin-derived stable metabolic intermediate
(648-653) Polymer Journal 43 #7 (2011)
Abstract
Michinobu et al of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology and Nagaoka University of Technology, Japan isolated biomass-based polymers composed of 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDC), from lignin as a chemically stable metabolic intermediate, were synthesized by the copper (Cu) (I)-catalyzed, but ligand-free azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction.  The in-situ prepared PDC polymers displayed adhesive properties to various metal surfaces. Among the investigated metals, the tensile strength with Cu, prepared at 70 °C for 4 h, was the highest (3.70 MPa). This specific adhesion to Cu is probably due to the promoted polymerization using the leached CuI as a catalyst and the crosslinking ability through the interactions with the formed triazole rings.  (RDC 7/7/2011)

Functionalization of Polysulfones by Click Chemistry
( 2389–2395)Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 211 #22 (2010)
Toiserkani et al functionalized polysulfones by converting the polymer to azido-functionalized polymers by successive chloromethylation and azidation.and, then, coupled with propargylpyrene with high efficiency by copper-catalyzed azide/alkyne click reactions. (RDC 11/17/2010)

Efficient Approaches for the Surface Modification of Platinum Nanoparticles via Click Chemistry
(9371–9375) Macromolecules 43 #22 (2010)
Drockenmulle et al attached poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) or poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) onto platinum nanoparticles by a copper(I)-catalyzed azide−alkyne cycloaddition  “grafting.  Surface-atom transfer radical polymerization, in addtion was used to construct more complex polymer architectures.  (RDC 11/18/2010)