Thioorthoester Polymers as Sulfur‐Rich Materials in Metal Scavengers and Battery Cathodes

Polymeric materials with dynamic covalent carbon‐heteroatom bonds are of significant interest for their stimuli‐responsiveness and recyclability. This study investigates the utility of the dynamic covalent C─S bond in thioorthoesters for synthesizing networked polymers with a high sulfur content in the range of 44% to 66% by weight. The synthesis utilizes economical and abundant reagents through polycondensation, resulting in networked polymer materials insoluble in all tested solvents. The combination of high sulfur content and porous surface structure ensures excellent sorption characteristics beneficial for scavenging precious metals such as palladium and toxic metalloids such as antimony. Additionally, the thioorthoester polymers show potential as cathodes in rechargeable lithium ion batteries, suggesting diverse applications for these sulfur‐rich materials.