One‐ and two‐dimensional NMR characterization of N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone/methyl acrylate copolymers

N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone/methyl acrylate (V/M) copolymers were prepared by free‐radical bulk polymerization using benzoyl peroxide as an initiator. The copolymer composition of these copolymers was calculated from ¹H NMR spectra. The radical reactivity ratios for N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (V) and methyl acrylate (M) were r_V = 0.09, r_M = 0.44. These reactivity ratios for the copolymerization of V and M were determined using the Kelen–Tudos and nonlinear least‐squares error‐in‐variable methods. The ¹³C{¹H} and ¹H NMR spectra of these copolymers overlapped and were complex. The complete spectral assignment of the ¹³C and ¹H NMR spectra were done with distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer and two dimensional ¹³C‐¹H heteronuclear single quantum correlation spectroscopic experiments. The two‐dimensional ¹H‐¹H homonuclear total correlation spectroscopic NMR spectrum showed the various bond interactions, thus inferring the possible structure of the copolymers. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2225–2236, 2002     

One‐ and two‐dimensional NMR characterization of N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone/methyl acrylate copolymers

N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone/methyl acrylate (V/M) copolymers were prepared by free‐radical bulk polymerization using benzoyl peroxide as an initiator. The copolymer composition of these copolymers was calculated from ¹H NMR spectra. The radical reactivity ratios for N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (V) and methyl acrylate (M) were r_V = 0.09, r_M = 0.44. These reactivity ratios for the copolymerization of V and M were determined using the Kelen–Tudos and nonlinear least‐squares error‐in‐variable methods. The ¹³C{¹H} and ¹H NMR spectra of these copolymers overlapped and were complex. The complete spectral assignment of the ¹³C and ¹H NMR spectra were done with distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer and two dimensional ¹³C‐¹H heteronuclear single quantum correlation spectroscopic experiments. The two‐dimensional ¹H‐¹H homonuclear total correlation spectroscopic NMR spectrum showed the various bond interactions, thus inferring the possible structure of the copolymers. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2225–2236, 2002     

Microstructure analysis and thermal property of copolymers made of glycolide and ϵ‐caprolactone by stannous octoate

Glycolide (GL) and ?‐caprolactone (CL) were copolymerized in bulk at relatively high temperatures using stannous octoate as a catalyst. To investigate the relationship among microstructure, thermal properties, and crystallinity, three series of copolymers prepared at various reaction temperatures, times, and comonomer feed ratios were prepared and characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, DSC, and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD). The 600‐MHz ¹H NMR spectra provided information about not only the copolymer compositions but also about the chain microstructure. The reactivity ratios (r_G and r_C) were calculated from the monomer sequences and were 6.84 and 0.13, respectively. In terms of overall feed compositions, the sequence lengths of the glycolyl units calculated from the reactivity ratios exceeded those measured from the polymeric products. Mechanistic considerations based on reactivity ratios, monomer consumption data, and average sequence lengths are discussed. The unusual phase diagram of GL/CL copolymers implies that the copolymer melting temperature does not depend on its composition alone but rather on the nature of the sequence distribution. The DSC and WAXD measurements show a close relationship between polymer crystallinity and the nature of the polymer sequence. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 544–554, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10123     

Comprehensive 2D NMR analysis: Acrylonitrile/ethyl methacrylate copolymers synthesized by ATRP at ambient temperature

Copolymerization of acrylonitrile and ethyl methacrylate using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) at ambient temperature was carried out under optimized reaction conditions using 2‐bromopropionitrile as initiator and CuBr/2,2′‐bipyridine as the catalyst system. The copolymer composition, obtained from ¹H NMR spectra, were used to determine the monomer reactivity ratios (r_A = 0.68 and r_E = 1.75) involved in ATRP. Two‐dimensional NMR (heteronuclear single quantum correlation and total correlated spectroscopy) experiments were employed to resolve the highly overlapping and complex ¹H and ¹³C{¹H} NMR spectra of copolymers. The complete spectral assignments of the quaternary carbons viz. carbonyl and nitrile carbons were done with the help of heteronuclear multiple bond correlation spectra. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2955–2971, 2006     

Atom transfer radical copolymerizationof acrylonitrile/n‐butyl acrylate: Microstructure determination by two‐dimensional nuclearmagnetic resonance spectroscopy

Atom transfer radical polymerization conditions were optimized and standardized with different initiator and catalyst systems. Acrylonitrile/n‐butyl acrylate copolymers were synthesized with 2‐bromopropionitrile as the initiator and CuCl/Cu(0)/2,2′‐bipyridine as the catalyst system. Variations of the feed composition led to copolymers with different compositions. The number‐average molecular weight and the polydispersity index were determined by gel permeation chromatography. Quantitative ¹³C{¹H} NMR was employed to determine the copolymer composition. The reactivity ratios calculated with a methodology based on the Mao–Huglin terminal model were r_A = 1.30 and r_B = 0.68 for acrylonitrile and n‐butyl acrylate, respectively. The reactivity ratios determined by the modified Kelen–Tudos method were r_A = 1.29 ± 0.01 and r_B = 0.67 ± 0.01. ¹³C{¹H} NMR and distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer (DEPT‐45, 90, and 135) were used to distinguish methyl, methylene, methine, and quaternary carbon resonance signals. The overlapping and broad signals of the copolymers were assigned completely to various compositional and configurational sequences by the correlation of one‐dimensional (¹H, ¹³C{¹H}, and DEPT) and two‐dimensional (heteronuclear single quantum coherence, total correlation spectroscopy, and heteronuclear multibond correlation) NMR spectral data. The complete spectral assignments of carbonyl and nitrile carbons were performed with the help of heteronuclear multibond correlation spectra. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 2810–2825, 2005     

Poly(isobornyl methacrylate‐co‐methyl acrylate): Synthesis and stereosequence distribution analysis by NMR spectroscopy

Copolymerization of isobornyl methacrylate and methyl acrylate ( I/M ) is performed by atom transfer radical polymerization using methyl‐2‐bromopropionate as an initiator and PMDETA/CuBr as catalyst under nitrogen atmosphere at 70 °C. The copolymer compositions determined from ¹H NMR spectra are used to determine reactivity ratios of the monomers. The reactivity ratio determined from linear Kelen–Tudos method and non‐linear error‐in‐variable method, are r_I = 1.25 ± 0.10, r_M = 0.84 ± 0.08 and r_I = 1.20, r_M = 0.82, respectively. 1D, distortion less enhancement by polarization transfer and 2D, heteronuclear single quantum coherence, and total correlation spectroscopy NMR experiments are employed to resolve highly overlapped and complex ¹H and ¹³C{¹H} NMR spectra of the copolymers. The carbonyl carbon of I and M units and methyl carbon of I unit are assigned up to triad compositional and configurational sequences, whereas β‐methylene carbons are assigned up to tetrad compositional and configurational sequences. Similarly, methine carbon of I unit is assigned up to triad level. The couplings of carbonyl carbon and quaternary carbon resonances are studied in detail using 2D hetero nuclear multiple bond correlation spectra. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Microstructure of glycidylmethacrylate/vinyl acetate copolymers by two‐dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Glycidylmethacrylate/vinyl acetate copolymers were prepared by solution polymerization with benzene as a solvent and benzoyl peroxide as an initiator. Copolymer compositions were determined from ¹H NMR spectra, and comonomer reactivity ratios were determined by the Kelen–Tudos (KT) method and the nonlinear least‐squares error‐in‐variable method (EVM). The reactivity ratios obtained from KT and EVM were r_G = 37.4 ± 12.0 and r_V = 0.036 ± 0.019 and r_G = 35.2 and r_V = 0.03, respectively. Complete spectral assignments of ¹³C and ¹H NMR spectra were done with the help of distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer and two‐dimensional ¹³C–¹H heteronuclear single quantum coherence and total correlation spectroscopy. The methyl, methine, and methylene carbon resonance showed both stereochemical and compositional sensitivity. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 4051–4060, 2001     

Compositional and configurational sequence determination of methyl methacrylate/ethyl acrylate copolymers by one‐ and two‐dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Ethyl acrylate (E)/methyl methacrylate (M) copolymers of different compositions were prepared, and their compositions were determined with ¹H NMR spectra. The complete spectral assignments, in terms of the compositional and configurational sequences of these copolymers, were made with the help of distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer and two‐dimensional heteronuclear single quantum coherence spectroscopy. The α‐(CH₃)_M, ? CH (E), ? CH₂, and 〉C?O carbons of both M and E units were found to be sensitive to various compositional and configurational sequences. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 313–326, 2003     

Synthesis and characterization of novel amphiphilic block copolymers di‐, tri‐, multi‐, and star blocks of PEG and PIB

A simple but efficient strategy has been developed for the synthesis of novel di‐, tri‐, multi‐, and star‐block copolymers comprising poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and polyisobutylene (PIB) blocks. The synthesis principle involves the coupling of appropriately terminally functionalized PEG and PIB sequences, specifically the hydrosilation of mono‐, di‐, and tetra‐allyl‐telechelic PEGs (PEG‐allyl, allyl‐PEG‐allyl, and C(‐PEG‐allyl)₄ by mono‐ and di‐Si(CH₃)₂H telechelic PIBs (PIB‐SiH and HiS‐PIB‐SiH). Representative block copolymers, for example, PEG‐PIB, PIB‐PEG‐PIB, (‐PIB‐PEG‐)_n, and C(‐PEG‐PIB)₄ have been assembled and their structures determined by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The bulk and surface morphology of select triblocks have been investigated by DSC and AFM and the findings interpreted in terms of phase‐separated PEG and PIB microdomains. The swelling behavior in water of various block copolymers also has been studied. Block copolymers containing 50–70 wt % PIB produce hydrogels, the integrity of which is maintained by physical crosslinks by PIB segments. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3200–3209, 2000     

Dihydrophilic block copolymers with ionic and nonionic blocks. I. Poly(ethylene oxide)‐b‐polyglycidol with OP(O)(OH)2, COOH,or SO3H functions: Synthesis and influence for CaCO3 crystallization

Dihydrophilic block copolymers of poly(ethylene oxide)‐b‐polyglycidol were prepared and polyglycidol blocks converted into ionic blocks containing  OP(O)(OH)₂,  COOH, or  SO₃H groups. Although phosphorylation of polyhydroxy compounds with POCl₃ usually leads to insoluble products, phosphorylation of poly(ethylene oxide)‐b‐polyglycidol using a POCl₃/ OH ratio equal to 1/1 gave soluble products, predominantly monoester of phosphoric acid (after hydrolysis) (provided that the reaction was conducted in triethyl phosphate as solvent). All copolymers were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and/or ³¹P NMR spectra for confirming their structure. The degree of substitution was determined from quantitative ¹³C NMR spectroscopy (inverted‐gate decoupling‐acquisition mode). Preliminary results indicate that from these three groups of block copolymers the phosphoric acid esters are the most effective ones at least in controlling the growth of CaCO₃ crystals in aqueous solution. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 955–963, 2001     

Radical copolymerization of vinylidene cyanide with 2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl methacrylate: Structure and characterization

A novel copolymer of vinylidene cyanide (VCN) and 2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl methacrylate (MATRIF) was synthesized by bulk free radical process in a 52% yield from an equimolar comonomer feed. The copolymer's composition and microstructure were analyzed by FTIR, ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy, SEC, and elemental analysis. The reactivity ratios calculated from both the Q‐e Alfrey‐Price parameters and the Jenkins' Patterns Scheme indicate a tendency to alternation in the copolymerization, the latter method suggesting that MATRIF homopropagation be slightly favoured (r_V = r₁₂ = 0.1, r_M = r₂₁ = 0.3). The molar incorporation of VCN in the copolymer was only 42 mol % according to the 9.0 wt % nitrogen content determined by elemental analysis, in good agreement with the value obtained by ¹H‐NMR. High‐resolution ¹H and ¹³C‐NMR spectra were used to study the microstructure of the copolymer. As an example, the three well‐resolved carbonyl resonances in the ¹³C‐NMR spectrum were assigned to the MATRIF‐centered triads VMV, VMM, and MMM, respectively, (V and M stand for VCN and MATRIF, respectively). The presence of VCN dyads (e.g., in VVM and VVV sequences) was shown to be marginal or absent altogether. Thermogravimetric analysis of poly(VCN‐co‐MATRIF) copolymer showed good thermal stability, and its main pyrolytic degradation taking place only above 368 °C. A 4% weight loss at about 222 °C suggested the presence of a few VCN homodyads, possibly inducing thermal depolymerization. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Syntheses and Spectroscopic Study of Some New N‐4‐Fluorobenzoyl Phosphoric Triamides; Crystal Structures of 4‐F‐C6H4C(O)N(H)P(O)R2, R = NH‐C(CH3)3, NH‐CH2C6H5, N(CH3)(CH2C6H5)

Some new N‐4‐Fluorobenzoyl phosphoric triamides with formula 4‐F‐C₆H₄C(O)N(H)P(O)X₂, X = NH‐C(CH₃)₃ ( 1 ), NH‐CH₂‐CH=CH₂ ( 2 ), NH‐CH₂C₆H₅ ( 3 ), N(CH₃)(C₆H₅) ( 4 ), NH‐CH(CH₃)(C₆H₅) ( 5 ) were synthesized and characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P NMR, IR and Mass spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The structures of compounds 1 , 3 and 4 were investigated by X‐ray crystallography. The P=O and C=O bonds in these compounds are anti. Compounds 1 and 3 form one dimensional polymeric chain produced by intra‐ and intermolecular ‐P=O···H‐N‐ hydrogen bonds. Compound 4 forms only a centrosymmetric dimer in the crystalline lattice via two equal ‐P=O···H‐N‐ hydrogen bonds. ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra show two series of signals for the two amine groups in compound 1 . This is also observed for the two α‐methylbenzylamine groups in 5 due to the presence of chiral carbon atom in molecule. ¹³C NMR spectrum of compound 4 shows that ²J(P,C_aliphatic) coupling constant for CH₂ group is greater than for CH₃ in agreement with our previous study. Mass spectra of compounds 1 ‐ 3 (containing 4‐F‐C₆H₄C(O)N(H)P(O) moiety) indicate the fragments of amidophosphoric acid and 4‐F‐C₆H₄CN⁺ that formed in a pseudo McLafferty rearrangement pathway. Also, the fragments of aliphatic amines have high intensity in mass spectra.     

Orthogonally functionalizable copolymers based on a novel reactive carbonate monomer

A novel N‐hydroxy succinimide‐based carbonate monomer that allows direct synthesis of polymers incorporating a reactive carbonate group in the side chain was synthesized. This new monomer was copolymerized with methyl methacrylate and poly(ethylene glycol) methylether methacrylate using free‐radical polymerization to obtain organo‐ and water‐soluble reactive copolymers. Copolymerization of the activated carbonate monomer with an azide‐containing monomer and N‐hydroxy succinimide‐containing activated ester monomer provided orthogonally functionalizable copolymers. The pendant reactive carbonate groups of the copolymers were functionalized with amines to obtain carbamates. Polymers capable of orthogonal functionalization could be selectively functionalized as desired using subsequent 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition or amidation reactions. The novel monomer and the copolymers were characterized by ¹H‐NMR, ¹³C‐NMR, and infrared spectroscopy. The efficient stepwise orthogonal functionalization of the copolymers were examined via ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Spectral assignment of poly(vinyl acetate) by one and two dimensional NMR spectroscopy: Revisited

Poly(vinyl acetate) (PVA) prepared by photopolymerization was studied by a combination of one and two dimensional NMR spectroscopy. The ¹³C{¹H} and ¹H NMR spectra of the homopolymer (PVA) were assigned to the configurational pentads (CH region) and tetrads (CH₂ region). These assignments were substantiated by the use of two dimensional heteronuclear single quantum correlation (HSQC), heteronuclear single quantum correlation‐total correlation spectroscopy (HSQC‐TOCSY) and double quantum filtered correlation spectroscopy (DQFCOSY) experiments. The results obtained by the analysis of the area under the resonance signals confirmed that PVA obeys Bernoullian statistics. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 551–556, 1999     

Synthesis and enzymatic degradation of 2‐methylene‐1,3‐dioxepane and methyl acrylate copolymers

Copolymers of 2‐methylene‐1,3‐dioxepane (MDO) and methyl acrylate (MA) containing ester units both in the backbone and as pendant groups were synthesized by free‐radical copolymerization. The influence of reaction conditions such as the polymerization time, temperature, initiator concentration, and comonomer feed ratio on the yield, molecular weight, and copolymer composition was investigated. The structure of the copolymers was confirmed by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and IR spectroscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated that the copolymers had a random structure. An NMR study showed that hydrogen transfer occurred during the copolymerization. The reactivity ratios of the comonomers were r_MDO = 0.0235 and r_MA = 26.535. The enzymatic degradation of the copolymers obtained was carried out in the presence of proteinase K or a crude enzyme extracted from earthworms. The experimental results showed that the higher ester molar percentage in the backbone caused a faster degradation rate. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2898–2904, 2003     

Sequence analysis of glycolide and p‐dioxanone copolymers

Low and medium molecular weight copolymers constituted by glycolide and p‐dioxanone units have been synthesized by a ring‐opening polymerization. The p‐dioxanone monomer was obtained from (2‐hydroxyethoxy)acetate or by thermal depolymerization of poly(p‐dioxanone). ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra were highly sensitive to the chemical sequences, which were effectively assigned by considering the data from samples with different compositions, and the acquisition of heteronuclear ¹H and ¹³C NMR‐correlated spectra. End groups were also identified, allowing methylene protons of sequences involving up to two glycolide units to be distinguished. These data seem basic to analyze degradation products or the influence of thermal treatments in chain microstructure. Glycolide/p‐dioxanone copolymers are an interesting system because changes on chemical sequences can easily occur due to a depolymerization reaction that eliminates p‐dioxanone residues. Furthermore, depending on the polymerization conditions, the occurrence of transesterification reactions may be highly significant. These reactions have a great impact in properties such as the melting temperature and can be easily quantified by NMR spectroscopy because of the occurrence of a new chemical sequence. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2009     

Novel synthesis of biodegradable star poly(ethylene glycol)‐block‐poly(lactide) copolymers

Biodegradable star‐shaped poly(ethylene glycol)‐block‐poly(lactide) copolymers were synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization of lactide, using star poly(ethylene glycol) as an initiator and potassium hexamethyldisilazide as a catalyst. Polymerizations were carried out in toluene at room temperature. Two series of three‐ and four‐armed PEG‐PLA copolymers were synthesized and characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) as well as ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The polymerization under the used conditions is very fast, yielding copolymers of controlled molecular weight and tailored molecular architecture. The chemical structure of the copolymers investigated by ¹H and ¹³C NMR indicates the formation of block copolymers. The monomodal profile of molecular weight distribution by GPC provided further evidence of controlled and defined star‐shaped copolymers as well as the absence of cyclic oligomeric species. The effects of copolymer composition and lactide stereochemistry on the physical properties were investigated by GPC and differential scanning calorimetry. For the same PLA chain length, the materials obtained in the case of linear copolymers are more viscous, whereas in the case of star copolymer, solid materials are obtained with reduction in their T_g and T_m temperatures. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3966–3974, 2007     

Determination of the sequence distribution and stereoregularity of ethyl α-benzoyloxymethylacrylate–methyl methacrylate copolymers by means of proton and carbon-13 NMR

Proton and Carbon-13 NMR spectra of ethyl α-benzoyloxymethylacrylate (E)–methyl methacrylate (M) copolymers were analyzed in terms of sequence distribution and stereoregularity of monomer units. The copolymers were prepared by free radical polymerization in benzene at 50°C. The methoxy region of the M proton signal resonance was found to be sensitive to the copolymer composition for M-centred sequences. The carbon-13 NMR spectra of the EM copolymers, in particular the carbonyl signal resonances of carbomethoxy and carboethoxy groups, are discussed in terms of M- and E-centred configurational sequences. The experimental values were in excellent agreement with those calculated taken into account the terminal copolymerization model and Bernoullian distribution of stereoregularity with the statistical parameters determined from reactivity ratios r_E = 0.32 and r_M = 1.34 and the coisotacticity parameters σ_MM = 0.22, σ_EE = 0.70, and σ_ME = σ_EM = σ = 0.30. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 3483–3493, 1997     

Synthesis via ATRP,kinetics study and characterization (molecular‐morphological) of 3‐Arm star diblock copolymers of the (PS‐b‐P2VP)3 type

The synthesis of five homopolymers (PS)₃ and the corresponding diblock copolymer 3‐arm stars of the (PS‐b‐P2VP)₃ type is reported through atom transfer radical polymerization. Such star homo‐ and copolymers are prepared without any addition of solvent (bulk polymerization). The kinetics study results lead to the ability of predicting the best polymerization time with high values of monomer to polymer conversion, sufficient polydispersity indices and average molecular weights. Molecular characterization through size exclusion chromatography, viscometry, low‐angle laser light scattering, proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR, respectively) verified the successful synthesis of both homopolymer and copolymer 3‐arm star‐like architectures. Furthermore, the morphological characterization of the final copolymers is reported through transmission electron microscopy studies verifying the self‐assembly without any indication of homopolymer or Cu(I) traces. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 23–32     

New approaches for the synthesis of hindered C60‐containing polyphosphazenes via functionalized intermediates

Two new approaches were developed to synthesize C₆₀‐containing polyphosphazenes. Accordingly, two new reactive macromolecular intermediates ( P4 and P8 ) were obtained from poly(dichlorophosphazene) by the direct nucleophilic substitution reaction. In one approach, a predesigned amimo end–functionalized polyphosphazene ( P4 ) was prepared and then reacted with C₆₀ molecules in chlorobenzene to yield C₆₀‐containing polyphosphazene; in the other approach, a polyphosphazene containing 4‐methyl phenoxy groups as side chains was first prepared, and then part of the 4‐methyl groups were converted to azidomethyl groups (in P8 ), which reacted with C₆₀ to yield C₆₀‐containing polyphosphazene. The polymers were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, IR, and UV–visible spectra and by gel permeation chromatography. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2877–2885, 2004