Abstract A smart poly (ethylene oxide) polymer containing two thermally reversible groups located at the chain center (F2-PEO) was synthesized by a maleimide–furan (MF)[4+ 2] Diels– Alder (DA) reaction between one bis [(furan-2-yl) methyl] terephthalate (F2) and two maleimide-terminated poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ethers (MI-PEOs). MF adducts underwent retro-DA (rDA) addition at a higher temperature, and the maleimide– ...