Living/controlled polymerization methods have enabled the synthesis of numerous (co)polymers with defined compositions and architectures. However, the precision design of poly(vinylamine)-based copolymers remains challenging despite their extensive use in various fields of applications and the clear benefits to finely tune their properties. Here, we report on a two-step strategy for the synthesis of tailor-made poly(vinylamine) derivatives through the organometallicmediated radical (co)polymerization (OMRP) of N-vinylacetamide and/or N-methylvinylacetamide followed by acid hydrolysis of the acetamide groups. A series of well-defined homopolymers as well as statistical and block copolymers with pendant primary and/or secondary amines having controlled molar masses, compositions, and low dispersities were produced accordingly. The reactivity ratios of the comonomers as well as the composition drift along the chain were determined in order to have a precise idea of the polymer structures. These advances represent a significant step toward an efficient platform for synthesis of this important class of amino group-containing (co)polymers.

Due to their affinity for many supports, their pH responsiveness, metal binding capacity and polyelectrolytes complexation, poly(vinylamine) derivatives have attracted attention for many applications including coatings, water purification, or gas membrane separation. Nevertheless, most of them possess only pendant primary amines despite the possible benefits of incorporating different amino groups along the chain. In this work, a straightforward and scalable synthesis route towards polymers bearing primary and secondary amines, as well as imidazole groups, is reported. The general strategy relies on the radical copolymerization of different vinylamides and vinyl imidazole followed by the hydrolysis of the resulting poly(vinylamide) derivatives. Binary and ternary free radical copolymerizations of Nvinylacetamide (NVA), N-methyl vinylacetamide (NMVA) and 1-vinylimidazole (VIm) were investigated and the reactivity ratios for each copolymerization system were determined. Thanks to these values a series of statistical copolymers with predictable composition and low deviation over the chain distribution could then be synthesized. Finally, the acidic hydrolysis of the acetamide functions towards the corresponding amine was performed and optimized. Copolymers containing various pendant amino groups and with low dispersity in the chain composition could be obtained, which opens new perspectives for the above mentioned applications.polyvinylimidazole 55 , as well as the dependence of the antimicrobial efficiency on the charge density and hydrophobicity. 54 Finally, these novel polyamines might also outperform primary PVAm in applications like paper strengthening or coating applications 9-11 . In other words, much can be expected from this poly(vinylamine) based synthetic platform. Notes and references