| Abstract: | Amphiphilic, star‐shaped copolymers were synthesized by the ring‐opening polymerization of trimethylene carbonate initiated with a trifunctional, poly(ethylene glycol)‐based surfactant (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate) in the absence of any catalysts. The metal‐ and solvent‐free polymerization proceeded at 150 °C and afforded polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate‐block‐poly(trimethylene carbonate) with number‐average molecular weights of 4500–11,900 in excellent yields. The copolymers successfully dispersed in a water/ethyl acetate (10/1 v/v) mixture, and the uniform suspension could contain a hydrophobic pigment and pyrene. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6633–6639, 2006 |
