Graft copolymers with chemically complementary components as a special class of high-molecular-weight compounds

The review surveys the synthesis, bulk structures, solution behaviour and functional capabilities of graft copolymers containing chemically complementary polymer components. The influence of a system of intramolecular bonds between the main and grafted chains and between the adjacent grafted chains on the properties of graft copolymers is analysed. Such graft copolymers are shown to belong to a special class of polymer compounds referred to as intramolecular polycomplexes. The bibliography includes 204 references.