Light-induced step-growth polymerization

There has been a growing interest in discovering new approaches for the preparation of step-growth polymers as they hold a large margin of polymer manufacture since the beginning of the synthetic polymer era. After their distinctive advantages have been realized, light induced processes have been adapted to almost all kinds of polymerization processes including step-growth polymerizations. This mini review focuses mainly on the new developments in the field of step-growth polymerizations activated by light induced processes. The new discoveries are generally based on light induced pericyclic reactions, ketene chemistry and radical coupling processes. In comparison to the conventional strategies, the advantages of these particular approaches are also discussed.