The synthesis of novel well-defined alkyne side chain functional polymers featuring narrowmolecular weight distributions (PDI = 1.09-1.17) by living radical polymerization is described. Grafting ofprotected and unprotected carbohydrates is achieved via either a C-6 or an anomeric azide (
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or
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) ontothese polymers by Cu(I)-catalyzed "click chemistry", providing a simple and efficient route to syntheticglycopolymers. The strategy provides an extremely powerful tool for the synthesis of libraries of materialsthat differ only in the nature of the sugar moiety presented on a well-defined polymer scaffold. A library ofmultivalent ligands were then prepared following a "coclicking" synthetic protocol, and the reactivity of theseglycopolymers in the presence of concanavalin A and
Ricinus communis agglutinin, model lectins able toselectively bind appropriate mannose and galactose derivatives, respectively, was assessed.