Macromolecules with cyclic topologies exhibit unique structural properties, but synthesizing macrocyclic polymers—especially multicyclic ones—remains challenging. Our group has developed an efficient method to access multicyclic polymers without using cyclic precursors. This review highlights recent progress in the precise synthesis of multicyclic architectures, including cage-shaped, spiro-multicyclic, and graft polymers with cyclic or cage-like side chains, via intramolecular ring-opening metathesis oligomerization or cyclopolymerization of norbornenyl-functionalized macromonomers using Grubbs third-generation catalysts. Their fundamental properties and potential applications are also briefly summarized.
- Yamato Ebii
- Minami Ebe
- Toshifumi Satoh