The C--H bond of pendant aromatic groups such as commercial polystyrenes
with three types of tacticities (syndiotactic, isotactic, atactic)
undergo catalyzed functionalization with boron reagents. A boronic ester
group formed on the polymer in the polystyrene was further converted to
hydroxy and arene via oxidation and coupling reactions, respectively.
These functionalizations proceeded without significantly affecting the
molecular weight of starting polymer and the functional concentrations
could be easily controlled by changing the ratio of boron reagent to
monomer unit.