Preparation of supramolecular polymer containing quadruple hydrogen bonding units in the polymer backbone

process for the preparation of a supramolecular polymer comprising quadruple hydrogen bonding units within the polymer backbone, wherein at least a monomer comprising a 4H-unit is incorporated in the polymer backbone via at two to four reactive groups, and the 4H-units are incorporated in the polymer backbone by two covalent bonds, the process comprising:

• reacting a monomeric unit (a) having a structure according to formulae (III) or (IV) with a macromonomeric unit (b) having a structure according to formulae (V)
• wherein the monomeric unit (a) has a structure according to formula (III) or (IV):
• 4H-(Fi)r (III)
• 4H*-(Fi)r (IV)
• wherein Fi comprises a reactive group linked to the 4H-unit or 4H*-unit;
• and r is 2.
• wherein the monomeric unit (a) is represented by formula (VIa):
• wherein:
• the 4H-unit is connected to a reactive group (F1) via R1 and a reactive group (F1) or (F2) via R2, whereas R3 is a random side chain or a hydrogen atom, the random side chain being a linear, cyclic or branched alkyl group comprising 1 to 7 carbon atoms;
• or
• the 4H-unit is connected to a reactive group (F1) via R1 and to a reactive group (F1) or (F2) via R3, whereas R2 is a random side chain or a hydrogen atom, the random side chain being a linear, cyclic or branched alkyl group comprising 1 to 7 carbon atoms;
• or
• the 4H-unit is connected to two reactive groups (Fi) both via R1, whereas R2 and R3 are random side chain or hydrogen atoms, the random side chains being a linear, cyclic or branched alkyl group comprising 1 to 7 carbon atoms;
• and
• wherein the monomeric unit (a) is represented by formula (VIIa):
• wherein:
• the 4H-unit is connected to a reactive group (F1) via R1 and a reactive group (F1) or (F2) via R2, whereas R3 is a random side chain or a hydrogen atom, the random side chain being a linear, cyclic or branched alkyl group comprising 1 to 7 carbon atoms;
• or
• the 4H-unit is connected to a reactive group (F1) via R1 and to a reactive group (F1) or (F2) via R3, whereas R2 is a random side chain or a hydrogen atom, the random side chain being a linear, cyclic or branched alkyl group comprising 1 to 7 carbon atoms;
• and
• wherein R1-R3 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms and shorter or longer chains, the longer and shorter chains being selected from the group consisting of saturated or unsaturated, branched, cyclic or linear alkyl chains, aryl chains, alkaryl chains, arylalkyl chains, ester chains or ether chains.