Functional ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) initiators can instill a wide array of chemical, physical, and biological effects into a polymeric chain. Highlighting the versatility of this “active” initiator approach, a broad range of characteristics can be achieved through the use of initiators with chemistries spanning from drugs and dyes (key in the case of drug delivery or nanoparticle applications) through to radically active monomers, polymerization transfer agents, and catalysts. The selection of a suitable “active” initiator (monomers for tandem reactions, dyes, drugs, stereo‐catalysts, etc.) can not only provide the final polymers with interesting application potential but also facilitate the implementation of ROP reactions in tandem with other polymerization techniques. Overall, this review will highlight that functionalities and properties can be effectively tuned by exploiting simple chemistry approaches, allowing readers to identify how these approaches could be of benefit to their own work in a range of applications including drug/gene delivery, amphiphilic bio/degradable carriers, drug/scent controlled release, and stereo‐controlled polymers.

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聚酯和聚碳酸酯开环聚合的功能性引发剂：概述

功能性开环聚合（ROP）引发剂可将多种化学，物理和生物学效应注入聚合物链中。强调这种“活性”引发剂方法的多功能性，可以通过使用引发剂来实现广泛的特性，这些引发剂的范围从药物和染料（药物输送或纳米颗粒应用的关键）到自由基活性单体，聚合转移剂和催化剂。选择合适的“活性”引发剂（用于串联反应的单体，染料，药物，立体催化剂等）不仅可以为最终的聚合物提供有趣的应用潜力，而且还可以促进ROP反应与其他聚合反应一起实施技术。总体，