The evolution of ABC star polymers: from trial-and-error to rational design.

ABC star polymers, consisting of three chemically distinct polymeric chains bound to a common point, have emerged over the last 35 years as versatile materials with tunable morphologies and potential applications in nanofabrication, drug delivery, or solid-state electrolytes. Despite decades of progress, well-defined synthesis and design remain a challenge due to their high synthetic complexity. This review surveys key developments in synthetic strategies, ranging from early anionic routes to modern reversible-deactivation radical polymerizations and click-driven methods, highlighting the trade-offs between architectural precision, functional compatibility, and scalability.