Abstract
Herein we report the self-amplified depolymerization of an aryl oligo(thiourethane) (OTU) for the release of COS/H(2)S. The OTU was synthesized via polyaddition of 4-isothiocyanatobenzyl alcohol and end-capped with an aryl azide. The aryl azide chain-end was reduced by tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine or H(2)S to the corresponding aniline, resulting in depolymerization (i.e., self-immolation) and the release of COS/H(2)S. Depolymerization was monitored by (1)H NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, and the released COS was converted into H(2)S by the ubiquitous enzyme carbonic anhydrase in aqueous media.