Preparation of polyethylene block copolymers by a combination of postmetallocene catalysis of ethylene polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization

The synthesis of block copolymers consisting of a polyethylene segment and either a poly(meth)acrylate or polystyrene segment was accomplished through the combination of postmetallocene-mediated ethylene polymerization and subsequent atom transfer radical polymerization. A vinyl-terminated polyethylene (number-average molecular weight = 1800, weight-average molecular weight/number-average molecular weight =1.70) was synthesized by the polymerization of ethylene with a phenoxyimine zirconium complex as a catalyst activated with methylalumoxane (MAO). This polyethylene was efficiently converted into an atom transfer radical polymerization macroinitiator by the addition of α-bromoisobutyric acid to the vinyl chain end, and the polyethylene macroinitiator was used for the atom transfer radical polymerization of n-butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, or styrene; this resulted in defined polyethylene-b-poly(n-butyl acrylate), polyethylene-b-poly(methyl methacrylate), and polyethylene-b-polystyrene block copolymers. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 496–504, 2004     

Synthesis of poly(isobornyl acrylate) containing copolymers by atom transfer radical polymerization

For the first time, a detailed study of the atom transfer radical polymerization of isobornyl acrylate (iBA) is reported. On the basis of these results, well‐defined PiBA‐containing block copolymers were synthesized, focussing on the preparation of amphiphilic poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) containing block copolymers. The precursor monomers 1‐ethoxyethyl acrylate (EEA) as well as tert‐butyl acrylate have been used to synthesize the PAA‐segments of the PiBA‐b‐PAA block copolymers. Finally, the synthesis of “block‐like” copolymers of PiBA and PEEA via a one‐pot procedure was investigated. By optimizing the copper and ligand concentration, and choosing the appropriate solvent, a controlled polymerization behaviour was obtained in all cases, as evidenced by a detailed kinetic analysis, GPC, NMR, and MALDI‐TOF data. Thermogravimetric analysis confirmed the quantitative transformation of the precursor polymer PEEA to the corresponding PAA‐containing copolymers. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 1649–1661, 2008     

Synthesis and characterizations of the four‐armed amphiphilic block copolymer S[poly(2,3‐dihydroxypropyl acrylate)‐block‐poly(methyl acrylate)]4

The polymers poly[(2,2‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dioxolane‐4yl) methyl acrylate] (PDMDMA) and four‐armed PDMDMA with well‐defined structures were prepared by the polymerization of (2,2‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dioxolane‐4yl) methyl acrylate (DMDMA) in the presence of an atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator system. The successive hydrolyses of the polymers obtained produced the corresponding water‐soluble polymers poly(2,3‐dihydroxypropyl acrylate) (PDHPA) and four‐armed PDHPA. The controllable features for the ATRP of DMDMA were studied with kinetic measurements, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and NMR data. With the macroinitiators PDMDMA–Br and four‐armed PDMDMA–Br in combination with CuBr and 2,2′‐bipyridine, the block polymerizations of methyl acrylate (MA) with PDMDMA were carried out to afford the AB diblock copolymer PDMDMA‐b‐MA and the four‐armed block copolymer S{poly[(2,2‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dioxolane‐4yl) methyl acrylate]‐block‐poly(methyl acrylate)}₄, respectively. The block copolymers were hydrolyzed in an acidic aqueous solution, and the amphiphilic diblock and four‐armed block copolymers poly(2,3‐dihydroxypropyl acrylate)‐block‐poly(methyl acrylate) were prepared successfully. The structures of these block copolymers were verified with NMR and GPC measurements. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 3062–3072, 2001     

Block copolymers based on 2‐vinyl‐4,4‐dimethyl‐5‐oxazolone by RAFT polymerization: Experimental and computational studies

The ability of 2‐vinyl‐4,4‐dimethyl‐5‐oxazolone (VDM), a highly reactive functional monomer, to produce block copolymers by reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) sequential polymerization with methyl acrylate (MA), styrene (S), and methyl methacrylate (MMA) was investigated using cumyl dithiobenzoate (CDB) and 2‐cyanoisopropyl dithiobenzoate (CPDB) as chain transfer agents. The results show that PS‐b‐PVDM and PMA‐b‐PVDM well‐defined block copolymers can be prepared either by polymerization of VDM from PS‐ and PMA‐macroCTAs, respectively, or polymerization of S and MA from a PVDM‐macroCTA. In contrast, PMMA‐b‐PVDM block copolymers with controlled molecular weight and low polydispersity can only be obtained by using PMMA as the macroCTA. Ab initio calculations confirm the experimental studies. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Block copolymers of acrylic acid and butyl acrylate prepared by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization: Synthesis,characterization, and use in emulsion polymerization

Amphiphilic block copolymers of poly(acrylic acid‐b‐butyl acrylate) were prepared by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization in a one‐pot reaction. These copolymers were characterized by NMR, static and dynamic light scattering, tensiometry, and size exclusion chromatography. The aggregation characteristics of the copolymers corresponded to those theoretically predicted for a star micelle. In a butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate emulsion polymerization, low amounts of these copolymers could stabilize latices with solid contents up to 50%. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 684–698, 2003     

Synthesis of poly(β‐pinene)‐g‐poly(meth)acrylate by the combination of living cationic polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization

New graft copolymers of β‐pinene with methyl methacrylate (MMA) or butyl acrylate (BA) were synthesized by the combination of living cationic polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). β‐Pinene polymers with predetermined molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions (MWDs) were prepared by living cationic polymerization with the 1‐phenylethyl chloride/TiCl₄/Ti(OiPr)₄/nBu₄NCl initiating system, and the resultant polymers were brominated quantitatively by N‐bromosuccinamide in the presence of azobisisobutyronitrile, yielding poly(β‐pinene) macroinitiators with different bromine contents (Br/β‐pinene unit molar ratio = 1.0 and 0.5 for macroinitiators a and b , respectively). The macroinitiators, in conjunction with CuBr and 2,2′‐bipyridine, were used to initiate ATRP of BA or MMA. With macroinitiator a or b , the bulk polymerization of BA induced a linear first‐order kinetic plot and gave graft copolymers with controlled molecular weights and MWDs; this indicated the living nature of these polymerizations. The bulk polymerization of MMA initiated with macroinitiator a was completed instantaneously and induced insoluble gel products. However, the controlled polymerization of MMA was achieved with macroinitiator b in toluene and resulted in the desired graft copolymers with controlled molecular weights and MWDs. The structures of the obtained graft copolymers of β‐pinene with (methyl)methacrylate were confirmed by ¹H NMR spectra. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1237–1242, 2003     

Thermal crosslinking of poly(methyl methacrylate) by reaction of methyl ester and quaternary ammonium salt and application to (meth)acrylate-based TPEs

Copolymers of N-vinylbenzyl N-methyl pyrrolidinium chloride (VBMPC) and methyl methacrylate, PVBMPC-co-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), were synthesized by free-radical copolymerization and proved to be prone to crosslinking as a result of the reaction of methyl ester groups with benzyl methyl pyrrolidinium chloride (BMPC) moieties at temperatures higher than 110 °C. When the VBMPC content was lower than 20 wt %, these copolymers were miscible with homo-PMMA. Blends of homo-PMMA and PVBMPC-co-PMMA fully could be cured above 150 °C, when the molecular weight of PMMA exceeded 10,000 and the VBMPC content of the copolymer was higher than 5 wt %. This reaction was carried out to crosslink selectively the PMMA microdomains of PMMA-b-poly(isooctyl acrylate) (PIOA)-b-PMMA (MIM) triblock copolymers to explain the mechanism for the mechanical failure of fully (meth)acrylic thermoplastic elastomers. Comparison of the ultimate tensile properties of MIM block copolymers, when the dispersed PMMA phases and PIOA matrix were crosslinked, led to the conclusion that the ductile failure of the hard PMMA microdomains rather than the elastic failure of the PIOA matrix was the reason for the mechanical failure of MIM triblocks. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 4402–4411, 1999     

Block copolymer preparation by atom transfer radical polymerization under emulsion conditions using a nanoprecipitation technique

Living‐radical polymerization of acrylates were performed under emulsion atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) conditions using latexes prepared by a nanoprecipitation technique previously employed and optimized for the polymerization of styrene. A macroinitiator of poly(n‐butyl acrylate) prepared under bulk ATRP was dissolved in acetone and precipitated in an aqueous solution of Brij 98 to preform latex particles, which were then swollen with monomer and heated. Various monomers (i.e. n‐butyl acrylate, styrene, and tert‐butyl acrylate) were used to swell the particles to prepare homo‐ and block copolymers from the poly(n‐butyl acrylate) macroinitiator. Under these conditions latexes with a relatively good colloidal stability were obtained. Furthermore, amphiphilic block copolymers were prepared by hydrolysis of the tert‐butyl groups and the resulting block copolymers were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The bulk morphologies of the polystyrene‐b‐poly(n‐butyl acrylate) and poly(n‐butyl acrylate)‐b‐poly(acrylic acid) copolymers were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS). © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 625–635, 2008     

The preparation of t‐butyl acrylate,methyl acrylate,and styrene block copolymers by atom transfer radical polymerization: Precursors to amphiphilic and hydrophilic block copolymers and conversion to complex nanostructured materials

Atom transfer radical polymerization conditions with copper(I) bromide/pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (CuBr/PMDETA) as the catalyst system were employed for the polymerization of tert‐butyl acrylate, methyl acrylate, and styrene to generate well‐defined homopolymers, diblock copolymers, and triblock copolymers. Temperature studies indicated that the polymerizations occurred smoothly in bulk at 50 °C. The kinetics of tert‐butyl acrylate polymerization under these conditions are reported. Well‐defined poly(tert‐butyl acrylate) (PtBA; polydispersity index = 1.14) and poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA; polydispersity index = 1.03) homopolymers were synthesized and then used as macroinitiators for the preparation of PtBA‐b‐PMA and PMA‐b‐PtBA diblock copolymers in bulk at 50 °C or in toluene at 60 or 90 °C. In toluene, the amount of CuBr/PMDETA relative to the macroinitiator was important; at least 1 equiv of CuBr/PMDETA was required for complete initiation. Typical block lengths were composed of 100–150 repeat units per segment. A triblock copolymer, composed of PtBA‐b‐PMA‐b‐PS (PS = polystyrene), was also synthesized with a well‐defined composition and a narrow molecular weight dispersity. The tert‐butyl esters of PtBA‐b‐PMA and PtBA‐b‐PMA‐b‐PS were selectively cleaved to form the amphiphilic block copolymers PAA‐b‐PMA [PAA = poly(acrylic acid)] and PAA‐b‐PMA‐b‐PS, respectively, via reaction with anhydrous trifluoroacetic acid in dichloromethane at room temperature for 3 h. Characterization data are reported from analyses by gel permeation chromatography; infrared, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopies; differential scanning calorimetry; and matrix‐assisted, laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. The assembly of the amphiphilic triblock copolymer PAA₉₀‐b‐PMA₈₀‐b‐PS₉₈ within an aqueous solution, followed by conversion into stable complex nanostructures via crosslinking reactions between the hydrophilic PAA chains comprising the peripheral layers, produced mixtures of spherical and cylindrical topologies. The visualization and size determination of the resulting nanostructures were performed by atomic force microscopy, which revealed very interesting segregation phenomena. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4805–4820, 2000     

Synthesis of polymeric organic semiconductors using semifluorinated polymer precursors

The transesterification of 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl acrylate (HFIPA) homopolymers and block copolymers with methyl acrylate (MA) or n-butyl acrylate (n-BuA) were investigated for the efficient synthesis of p-type and n-type organic semiconductor acrylates. HFIPA, MA, and n-BuA are readily prepared in a one-pot synthesis by Cu(0) reversible deactivation radical polymerization in high yield with low dispersity to give poly(HFIPA)₁₀₀, PMA₁₀₀-b-poly(HFIPA)_x, and PnBuA₁₀₀-b-poly(HFIPA)_x (x = 100, 50,25). The transesterification of poly(HFIPA)₁₀₀ was also studied using ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy. Based on this method, a series of eight homopolymers and three copolymers based on semiconductor motifs commonly found in organic light-emitting diodes, organic thin-film transistors, and organic photovoltaics were synthesized with narrow dispersity and conversions up to 99%. These experiments demonstrate that poly(HFIPA) can provide a useful building block in the synthesis of organic electronic materials, providing a simpler route to complex materials which may be challenging to access directly via controlled radical polymerization. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 2183–2191     

Atom transfer radical polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate catalyzed by FeCl2/iminodiacetic acid

The atom transfer radical polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate with FeCl₂/iminodiacetic acid as the catalyst system in bulk was successfully implemented at 70 and 110 °C, respectively. The polymerization was controlled: the molecular weight of the resultant polymer was close to the calculated value, and the molecular weight distribution was relatively narrow (weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight ∼ 1.5). Block copolymers of polystyrene‐b‐poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(methyl methacrylate)‐b‐poly(methyl acrylate) were successfully synthesized, confirming the living nature of the polymerization. A small amount of water added to the reaction system increased the reaction rate and did not affect the living nature of the polymerization system. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4308–4314, 2000     

Atom transfer radical polymerization of acrylates in an ionic liquid: Synthesis of block copolymers

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of acrylates in ionic liquid, 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexaflurophospate, with the CuBr/CuBr₂/amine catalytic system was investigated. Sequential polymerization was performed by synthesizing AB block copolymers. Polymerization of butyl acrylate (monomer that is only partly soluble in an ionic liquid forming a two‐phase system) proceeded to practically quantitative conversion. If the second monomer (methyl acrylate) is added at this stage, polymerization proceeds, and block copolymer formed is essentially free of homopolymer according to size exclusion chromatographic analysis. The number‐average molecular weight of the copolymer is slightly higher than calculated, but the molecular weight distribution is low (M_w/M_n = 1.12). If, however, methyl acrylate (monomer that is soluble in an ionic liquid) is polymerized at the first stage, then butyl acrylate in the second‐stage situation is different. Block copolymer free of homopolymer of the first block (with M_w/M_n = 1.13) may be obtained only if the conversion of methyl acrylate at the stage when second monomer is added is not higher than 70%. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight analysis confirmed that irreversible deactivation of growing macromolecules is significant for methyl acrylate polymerization at a monomer conversion above 70%, whereas it is still not significant for butyl acrylate even at practically quantitative conversion. These results show that ATRP of butyl acrylate in ionic liquid followed by addition of a second acrylate monomer allows the clean synthesis of block copolymers by one‐pot sequential polymerization even if the first stage is carried out to complete conversion of butyl acrylate. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2799–2809, 2002     

Synthesis and characterization of block copolymers from 2‐vinylnaphthalene by anionic polymerization

The anionic polymerization of 2‐vinylnaphthalene (2VN) has been studied in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at ?78 °C and in toluene at 40 °C. 2VN polymerization in THF, toluene, or toluene/THF (99:1 v/v) initiated by sec‐butyllithium (sBuLi) indicates living characteristics, affording polymers with predefined molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions. Block copolymers of 2VN with methyl methacrylate (MMA) and tert‐butyl acrylate (tBA) have been synthesized successfully by sequential monomer addition in THF at ?78 °C initiated by an adduct of sBuLi–LiCl. The crossover propagation from poly(2‐vinylnaphthyllithium) (P2VN) macroanions to MMA and tBA appears to be living, the molecular weight and composition can be predicted, and the molecular weight distribution of the resulting block copolymer is narrow (weight‐average molecular/number‐average molecular weight < 1.3). Block copolymers with different chain lengths for the P2VN segment can easily be prepared by variations in the monomer ratios. The block copolymerization of 2VN with hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane also results in a block copolymer of P2VN and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) contaminated with a significant amount of homo‐PDMS. Poly(2VN‐b‐nBA) (where nBA is n‐butyl acrylate) has also been prepared by the transesterification reaction of the poly(2VN‐b‐tBA) block copolymer. Size exclusion chromatography, Fourier transform infrared, and ¹H NMR measurements indicate that the resulting polymers have the required architecture. The corresponding amphiphilic block copolymer of poly(2VN‐b‐AA) (where AA is acrylic acid) has been synthesized by acidic hydrolysis of the ester group of tert‐butyl from the poly(2VN‐b‐tBA) copolymer. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 4387–4397, 2002     

Synthesis and self‐assembly of thermoresponsive poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐b‐poly(oligo ethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate) double hydrophilic block copolymers

We report on the synthesis of novel poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐b‐poly(oligo ethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate) (PNIPAM‐b‐POEGA) thermoresponsive block copolymers using reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization methodologies. The synthesized block copolymers are characterized by gel permeation chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques in terms of molecular weight and composition. Their thermoresponsive self‐assembly in aqueous media is investigated using dynamic and static light scattering. The PNIPAM‐b‐POEGA thermoresponsive block copolymers formed aggregates in water by increasing the temperature above the lower critical solution temperature value of PNIPAM block. Solution pH seems to affect the self‐assembly behavior in some cases due to the presence of ? COOH end groups. Therefore, the copolymers were utilized as “smart” nanocarries for the hydrophobic drug indomethacin, implementing a novel encapsulation protocol taking advantage of the thermoresponsive character of the PNIPAM block. The empty and loaded self‐assembled nanocarriers systems were studied by light scattering techniques, ultraviolet–visible, and FTIR spectroscopy, which gave information on the size and structure of the nanocarriers, the drug loading content and the interactions between the drug and the components of the block copolymers. Drug loaded nanostructures show stability at room temperature, due to active drug/block copolymer interactions. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1467–1477     

Polystyrene‐b‐poly(2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl acrylate)‐b‐polystyrene copolymers: Synthesis and fabrication of their hydrophobic porous films,spheres, and fibers

New block copolymers Polystyrene‐b‐poly (2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl acrylate)‐b‐Polystyrene (PS‐PTFEA‐PS) with controlled molecular weight (M_n=5000‐11000 g?mol^?1) and narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n=1.13‐1.17) were synthesized via RAFT polymerization. The molecular structure and component of PS‐PTFEA‐PS block copolymers were characterized through ¹H NMR, ¹⁹F NMR, GPC, FT‐IR and elemental analysis. The porous films of such copolymers with average pore size of 0.80‐1.34 μm and good regularity were fabricated via a static breath‐figure (BF) process. The effects of solvent, temperature, and polymer concentration on the surface morphology of such film were investigated. In addition, microstructured spheres and fibers of such block copolymers were fabricated by electrospinning process and observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, the hydrophobicity of porous films, spheres, and fibers was investigated. The porous film showed a good hydrophobicity with the water‐droplet contact angles of 129°, and the fibers showed higher hydrophobicity with the water‐droplet contact angles of 142°. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 678–685     

Reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization of 2‐naphthyl acrylate with 2‐cyanoprop‐2‐yl 1‐dithionaphthalate as a chain‐transfer agent

The reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerizations of 2‐naphthyl acrylate (2NA) initiated by 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile were investigated with 2‐cyanoprop‐2‐yl 1‐dithionaphthalate (CPDN) as a RAFT agent at various temperatures in a benzene solution. The results of the polymerizations showed that 2NA could be polymerized in a controlled way by RAFT polymerization with CPDN as a RAFT agent; the polymerization rate was first‐order with respect to the monomer concentration, and the molecular weight increased linearly with the monomer conversion. The polydispersities of the polymer were relatively low up to high conversions in all cases. The chain‐extension reactions of poly(2‐naphthyl acrylate) (P2NA) with methyl methacrylate and styrene successfully yielded poly(2‐naphthyl acrylate)‐b‐poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(2‐naphthyl acrylate)‐b‐polystyrene block polymers, respectively, with narrow polydispersities. The P2NA obtained by RAFT polymerization had a strong ultraviolet absorption at 270 nm, and the molecular weights had no apparent effect on the ultraviolet absorption intensities; however, the fluorescence intensity of P2NA increased as the molecular weight increased and was higher than that of 2NA. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 2632–2642, 2005     

Synthesis of PMMA‐b‐PBA block copolymer in homogeneous and miniemulsion systems by DPE controlled radical polymerization

In this research, poly(methyl methacrylate)‐b‐poly(butyl acrylate) (PMMA‐b‐PBA) block copolymers were prepared by 1,1‐diphenylethene (DPE) controlled radical polymerization in homogeneous and miniemulsion systems. First, monomer methyl methacrylate (MMA), initiator 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) and a control agent DPE were bulk polymerized to form the DPE‐containing PMMA macroinitiator. Then the DPE‐containing PMMA was heated in the presence of a second monomer BA, the block copolymer was synthesized successfully. The effects of solvent and polymerization methods (homogeneous polymerization or miniemulsion polymerization) on the reaction rate, controlled living character, molecular weight (M_n) and molecular weight distribution (PDI) of polymers throughout the polymerization were studied and discussed. The results showed that, increasing the amounts of solvent reduced the reaction rate and viscosity of the polymerization system. It allowed more activation–deactivation cycles to occur at a given conversion thus better controlled living character and narrower molecular weight distribution of polymers were demonstrated throughout the polymerization. Furthermore, the polymerization carried out in miniemulsion system exhibited higher reaction rate and better controlled living character than those in homogeneous system. It was attributed to the compartmentalization of growing radicals and the enhanced deactivation reaction of DPE controlled radical polymerization in miniemulsified droplets. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4435–4445, 2009     

N,N,N′,N′,N″‐penta(methyl acrylate)diethylenetriamine: A novel ligand for atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate

A novel ligand, N,N,N′,N′,N″‐penta (methyl acrylate) diethylenetriamine (MA₅‐DETA), was synthesized by the reaction of diethylenetriamine with methyl acrylate in almost quantitive yield. The polymerizations of methyl methacrylate with MA₅‐DETA as the ligand and α,α‐dichlorotoluene (DCT) and ethyl 2‐bromoisobutyrate (2‐EBiB) as the initiators, respectively, under different conditions were examined. The polymerization with CuCl/MA₅‐DETA/DCT was closely controlled in bulk and gave polymers with quite narrow molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n's) of 1.16–1.29. The polymerization with the system CuBr/MA₅‐DETA/EBiB in bulk gave high activity. However, the system was not well controlled and gave the polymers with M_w/M_n = 1.35–1.53. The solution polymerization in anisole with CuBr/MA₅‐DETA/EBiB showed a better‐controlled nature. Moreover, the addition of CuBr₂ into the aforementioned system can further improve its controllability. The M_w/M_n's of the resulting polymers ranged from 1.11 to 1.21. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1963–1969, 2004     

Controlled synthesis of carboxylic acid end‐capped poly(heptadecafluorodecyl acrylate) and copolymers with 2‐hydroxyethyl acrylate

1H,1H,2H,2H‐Heptadecafluorodecyl acrylate (AC8) was polymerized by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer and copolymerized with 2‐hydroxyethyl acrylate with the formation of random and block copolymers, respectively. The kinetics of the (co)polymerization was monitored with ¹H NMR spectroscopy and showed that the homopolymerization and random copolymerization of AC8 were under control. As a result of this control and the use of S‐1‐dodecyl‐S‐(α,α′‐dimethyl‐α″‐acetic acid)trithiocarbonate as a chain‐transfer agent, the copolymer chains were end‐capped by an α‐carboxylic acid group. Moreover, the controlled polymerization of AC8 was confirmed by the successful synthesis of poly(1H,1H,2H,2H‐heptadecafluorodecyl acrylate)‐b‐poly(2‐hydroxyethyl acrylate) diblock copolymers, which were typically amphiphilic compounds. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1499–1506, 2007     

Optimization of the synthesis of poly(octadecyl acrylate) by atom transfer radical polymerization and the preparation of all comblike amphiphilic diblock copolymers

The atom transfer radical polymerization of octadecyl acrylate (ODA) has been investigated and optimized to produce polymers with predetermined molecular weights and narrow polydispersities (<1.2). The poor solubility of the catalytic system formed with conventional ligands such as the N‐(n‐propyl)‐2‐pyridylmethanimine and 2,2′‐bipyridine with Cu(I)Br in nonpolar reaction conditions gave poor control over molecular weight characteristics in ODA polymerizations. The use of N‐(n‐octyl)‐2‐pyridylmethanimine in combination with Cu(I)Br yielded a more soluble catalyst that improved control over the polymerization. The products from the polymerizations were further improved when an initiator, octadecyl 2‐bromo‐2‐methyl‐propanoate, similar in structure to the monomer, was used. Together, these modifications produced polymerizations that showed true controlled character as well as products with predetermined molecular weights and narrow polydispersities. Diblock copolymers of PODA were prepared with methyl methacrylate (MMA) and olig(oethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA). The PODA‐block‐POEGMA copolymers are the first examples of all comblike amphiphilic block copolymers. One of PODA‐block‐POEGMA copolymer samples has been shown to self‐assemble as micelles in a dilute aqueous solution. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 1129–1143, 2005