Linking electron-rich Pillar[5]arene into hyper-cross-linked polymers for highly effective adsorption of iodine vapor

Four hyper-cross-linked polymers were synthesized by linking electron-rich monomers with an electron-rich cross-linker via the Friedel–Crafts reaction. Among these polymers, P4 , which was constructed with decaalkyne pillar[5]arene and bibenzyl chloride, adsorbed iodine vapor with a capacity of 3.930 g g −1 , outperforming most supramolecular macrocycle-based porous polymers . The pillar[5]arene macrocycle contributed various types of adsorption sites, including aromatic rings , diynes, and oxygen atoms. The abundance of effective adsorption sites and the high specific surface area (1615.5 m 2  g −1 ) were responsible for the excellent adsorption capacity of P4 . Because these polymers are easy to synthesize and regenerate and can be mass produced, they are promising candidates for large-scale applications.