This review aims to provide a field guide for the implementation of mechanochemistry in synthetic polymers by summarizing the molecules, materials, and methods that have been developed in this field.

In this feature article, the development of linear quadruple hydrogen bonded systems is discussed, emphasizing applications in supramolecular chemistry and self-assembly.

Smart molecular systems having the ability to report on mechanical strain or failure in polymers via alteration of their optical properties are of great interest in materials science. However, only limited attention has been devoted to targeted chromophore engineering to fine-tune their physicochemical properties. Here, we describe the synthesis of π-extended anthracenes that can be released from their respective maleimide Diels–Alder adducts through the application of mechanical stress in solution and in the solid state. We demonstrate the improvement of fluorescence quantum yield as well as the tuning of excitation and emission wavelengths while retaining their excellent mechanochemical properties laying the foundation for a new series of mechanophores whose spectral characteristics can be modularly adjusted.

Sophisticated polymeric materials with ‘responsive’ properties are beginning to reach the market. The use of reversible, noncovalent interactions is a recurring design principle for responsive materials. Now, recently developed hydrogen-bonding units allow this design principle to be taken to its extreme. Supramolecular polymers, where hydrogen bonds are the only force keeping the monomers together, form materials whose (mechanical) properties respond strongly to a change in temperature or solvent. In this review, we describe the developments that have led to hydrogen-bonded supramolecular polymers and discuss the use of these materials in advanced applications.