Synthesis and characterization of PS-block-PEO associative water-soluble polymers

We report the synthesis and structure determination of PS-block-PEO functionalized by fluorocarbon end-group (C₈F₁₇) via an ester bridge. The synthesis was done by an anionic polymerization of PS and POE terminated by grafting 3-perfluorooctylpropanoyle chloride (C₈F₁₇-C₂H₄-COCl) onto PS-POE alcoholate. The structure has been characterized by a number of techniques: size exclusion chromatography, elementary analysis, UV spectroscopy, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance. Those analyses have allowed the determination of the real molar mass of the copolymers and the percentage functionalization. Because of their well-defined structure, these copolymers can be used as model compounds for the determination of structure-property relationships.