Degradable <i>N</i>‑Vinyl Copolymers through Radical Ring-Opening Polymerization of Cyclic Thionocarbamates

A thiocarbonyl radical ring-opening polymerization approach was implemented with cyclic thionocarbamates to generate degradable copolymers with N-vinyl monomers. The rigid structures of cyclic N-substituted thionocarbamates have been revealed by X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy. The corresponding copolymers show incorporation of the thiocarbamates within the carbon backbone of polyvinylpyrrolidone influenced by acyl substituents through radical ring-opening copolymerization. The phenyl-substituted cyclic thionocarbamate copolymerized with N-vinyl carbazole and N-vinyl caprolactam, while little to no incorporation occurred with tBu acrylate and styrene, respectively. Further, these copolymers can undergo hydrolytic degradation under mild conditions. A new family of cyclic thionocarbamates capable of radical ring-opening copolymerization with N-vinyl monomers has been established.