Summary: Commercial hydroxy‐terminated poly(ethylene glycol) monomethacrylates (PEG‐MAs) contain poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate, which leads to unfavorable gel formation on polymerization. Here, hydroxy‐terminated PEG‐MA is readily isolated using a dimethylsilyl resin chlorinated with 1,3‐dichloro‐5,5‐dimethylhydantoin. Solution polymerization of the isolated PEG‐MA by free radical routes gives a high‐molecular‐weight amphiphilic graft copolymer without cross‐linking. The resulting polymer is stable for long periods in ambient conditions with preservation of the hydroxy end groups of PEG.
Commercial hydroxy‐terminated PEG‐MA can be separated readily and completely from PEG dimethacrylate contaminant with chlorinated dimethylsilyl resin.
