Synthesis of syndiotactic-polystyrene-graft-poly(methyl methacrylate) and syndiotactic-polystyrene-graft-atactic-polystyrene by atom transfer radical polymerization

Syndiotactic polystyrene graft copolymers, including syndiotactic-polystyrene-graft-poly(methyl methacrylate) and syndiotactic-polystyrene-graft-atactic-polystyrene, were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using bromoacetylated syndiotactic polystyrene as macroinitiator and copper bromide combined with 2,2′-bipyridine as catalyst. The macroinitiator was prepared from the acid-catalyzed halogenation reaction of partially acetylated syndiotactic polystyrene, which was synthesized in a heterogeneous process with acetyl chloride and anhydrous aluminum chloride in carbon disulfide. The graft copolymers were characterized by ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectra.