Pinacol rearrangement in the polymer backbone: a new class of reactive polymers with condensed benzopinacol units in the main chain

Novel reactive polymers based on condensed benzopinacol dimethyl ether moieties in the main chain were synthesized and their acid-catalyzed pinacol rearrangement in the polymer backbone proceeded to afford poly(benzopinacolone)s quantitatively with elimination of methanol.