Macromolecular engineering graft copolymers

The purpose of this review is to report on the recent developments in the macromolecular engineering of aliphatic polyesters. First, the possibilities offered by the living (co)polymerization of (di)lactones will be reviewed. The second part is devoted to the synthesis of block and graft copolymers, combining the living coordination ROP of (di)lactones with other living/controlled polymerization mechanisms of other cyclic and unsaturated comonomers. Finally, several examples of novel types of materials prepared by this macromolecular engineering will be presented. 

Some of the processes described can be termed macromolecular engineering, as they allow the possibility of accurate structure control and yield well defined species which have been characterized accurately. Such model graft copolymers are of great interest in fundamental investigations. 

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