Block copolymer synthesis using ATRP

Fig. 6 Left Strategy for consecutive chemoenzymatic and simultaneous one-pot block copolymer synthesis combining enzymatic ROP and ATRP. Right Influence of ATRP-catalyst system on the conversion of CL in the enzymatic ROP of MMA at 60 °C using ATRP-3 as initiator filled squares reaction in absence of ATRP-catalyst open circles CuBr/PMDETA (1 1 1 ratio with respect to initiator) jiWed triangles CuBr/dNbpy (1 2.1 1 ratio with respect to initiator) open inverted triangles CuBr (1 1 ratio with respect to initiator) yiHed diamonds CuBr2 (1 1 ratio to initiator). CL conversion was determined with H-NMR [26]...

Another way to limit the side reactions on the PPV block consists of using ATRP polymerization. The polymerization occurs at lower temperature and well-defined block copolymers with polystyrene coil block (PPV-/>-PS) have been obtained and characterised. The synthesis is schematically represented in Figure 3. 

We investigated the chemoenzymatic synthesis of block copolymers combining eROP and ATRP using a bifunctional initiator. A detailed analysis of the reaction conditions revealed that a high block copolymer yield can be realized under optimized reaction conditions. Side reactions, such as the formation of PCL homopolymer, in the enzymatic polymerization of CL could be minimized to < 5 % by an optimized enzyme (hying procedure. Moreover, the structure of the bifunctional initiator was foimd to play a major role in the initiation behavior and hence, the yield of PCL macroinitiator. Block copolymers were obtained in a consecutive ATRP. Detailed analysis of the obtained polymer confirmed the presence of predominantly block copolymer structures. Optimization of the one-pot procedure proved more difficult. While the eROP was compatible with the ATRP catalyst, incompatibility with MMA as an ATRP monomer led to side-reactions. A successfiil one-pot synthesis could only be achieved by sequential addition of the ATRP components or partly with inert monomers such as /-butyl methacrylate. One-pot block copolymer synthesis was successful, however, in supercritical carbon dioxide. Side reactions such as those observed in organic solvents were not apparent. 

Sun, H., et al., 2015. Synthesis of well-defined amphiphilie block copolymers via AGET ATRP used for hydrophilic modification of PVDF membrane. Journal of Applied Polymer Science. 132(24) n/a-n/a. 

The same group also reported on the synthesis of multiarm star block copolymers by using Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions (Dag et al., 2009). First, an a-anthracene-end functionalized PS (PS-anthr) and furan-protected maleimide-end-functionaUzed polymers, including PMMA and PtBuA, were prepared via ATRP. The maleimide functionalities were protected as they can contribute to the copolymerization with MMA or tBuA. Moreover, the polymerization temperature was kept below 60 °C to prevent deprotection during the polymerization. In the next step, a 33-arm anthracene-end functionalized (PS) star polymer was obtained using PS-anthr as macroinitiator and divinyl benzene as crosslinker. These star polymers were then reacted with the unprotected maleimide end-functionalized PMMA or PtBuA to give multiarm star block copolymers via Diels-Alder click reaction. The efficiencies were foimd to be 96 and 88%, respectively. 

ATRP has also been applied to block copolymer synthesis [16]. Both sequential monomer addition and two-step procedures were used. The former involves the simple addition of a second monomer to the reaction medium after complete consumption of the first monomer. In the latter case the first monomer, after isolation and purification, was used as macroinitiator for the polymerization of a second monomer in its usual manner. Macroinitiators suitable for ATRP may also be prepared by a polymerization technique other than radical polymerization. This way block copolymers of monomers with different chemical structures are prepared. Such examples include cationic to radical and condensation to radical transformation reactions [20,21]. 

Enzymatic ROP has also been successfully combined with chemically catalyzed polymerization methods in SCCO2, allowing the formation of block structures. For example, Howdle and coworkers reported a simultaneous use of Novozym 435 with metalblock copolymers of PCL and PMMA [107, 108], whilst a two-step methodology was used to form block copolymers of PCL with poly(fluoro-octyl methacrylates) (PFOMA) [109]. Similar reactions, simultaneously combining reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) with enzymatic ROP to form block copolymers of polystyrene and PCL, have also been performed in SCCO2 [110]. Block copolymer synthesis in SCCO2 has recently been reviewed [111]. 

There are additional factors that may reduce functionality which are specific to the various polymerization processes and the particular chemistries used for end group transformation. These are mentioned in the following sections. This section also details methods for removing dormant chain ends from polymers formed by NMP, ATRP and RAFT. This is sometimes necessary since the dormant chain-end often constitutes a weak link that can lead to impaired thermal or photochemical stability (Sections 8.2.1 and 8.2.2). Block copolymers, which may be considered as a form of end-functional polymer, and the use of end-functional polymers in the synthesis of block copolymers are considered in Section 9.8. The use of end functional polymers in forming star and graft polymers is dealt with in Sections 9.9.2 and 9.10.3 respectively. 

The direct synthesis of poly(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate)-fr-PMMA, PSP-MA-fr-PMMA (Scheme 27) without the use of protecting chemistry, by sequential monomer addition and ATRP techniques was achieved [77]. A water/DMF 40/60 mixture was used to ensure the homogeneous polymerization of both monomers. CuCl/bipy was the catalytic system used, leading to quantitative conversion and narrow molecular weight distribution. In another approach the PSPMA macroinitiator was isolated by stopping the polymerization at a conversion of 83%. Then using a 40/60 water/DMF mixture MMA was polymerized to give the desired block copolymer. In this case no residual SPMA monomer was present before the polymerization of MMA. The micellar properties of these amphiphilic copolymers were examined. 

A combination of ATRP and ROP was employed for the synthesis of PLLA-fr-PS block copolymers and PLLA-fr-PS-fo-PMMA triblock terpoly-mers [120]. Styrene was initially polymerized using the functional initiator /3-hydroxyethyl a-bromobutyrate, HEBB, and the catalytic system CuBr/bpy. 

Metallocene catalysis has been combined with ATRP for the synthesis of PE-fr-PMMA block copolymers [123]. PE end-functionalized with a primary hydroxyl group was prepared through the polymerization of ethylene in the presence of allyl alcohol and triethylaluminum using a zirconocene/MAO catalytic system. It has been proven that with this procedure the hydroxyl group can be selectively introduced into the PE chain end, due to the chain transfer by AlEt3, which occurs predominantly at the dormant end-... 

A combination of anionic and ATRP was employed for the synthesis of (PEO-b-PS) , n = 3, 4 star-block copolymers [148]. 2-Hydroxymethyl-l,3-propanediol was used as the initiator for the synthesis of the 3-arm PEO star. The hydroxyl functions were activated by diphenylmethyl potassium, DPMK in DMSO as the solvent. Only 20% of the stoichiometric quantity of DPMK was used to prevent a very fast polymerization of EO. Employing pentaerythritol as the multifunctional initiator a 4-arm PEO star was obtained. Well-defined products were provided in both cases. The hydroxyl end groups of the star polymers were activated with D PM K and reacted with an excess of 2-bromopropionylbro-mide at room temperature. Using these 2-bromopropionate-ended PEO stars in the presence of CuBr/bpy the ATRP of styrene was conducted in bulk at 100 °C, leading to the synthesis of the star-block copolymers with relatively narrow molecular weight distributions (Scheme 72). 

ARGET ATRP has been successfully applied for polymerization of methyl methacrylate, ft-butyl acrylate and styrene in the presence of Sn(EH)2 (10 mol% vs. alkyl halide initiator or 0.07 mol% vs. monomer) [164,165]. For all monomers, polymerizations were well controlled using between 10 and 50 ppm of copper complexes with highly active TPMA and Me6TREN ligands. ARGET ATRP has also been utilized in the synthesis of block copolymers (poly(n-butyl acrylate)— -polystyrene and polystyrene-Z -poly(n-butyl acrylate) [164,165] and grafting... 

In this review, synthesis of block copolymer brushes will be Hmited to the grafting-from method. Hussemann and coworkers [35] were one of the first groups to report copolymer brushes. They prepared the brushes on siUcate substrates using surface-initiated TEMPO-mediated radical polymerization. However, the copolymer brushes were not diblock copolymer brushes in a strict definition. The first block was PS, while the second block was a 1 1 random copolymer of styrene/MMA. Another early report was that of Maty-jaszewski and coworkers [36] who reported the synthesis of poly(styrene-h-ferf-butyl acrylate) brushes by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). 

Secondly, the quaternised monomer may be replaced with a weakly basic monomer such as MEMA, which exists in its neutral, non-protonated form in alkaline media. Thus the desired zwitterionic block copolymer is prepared in its anionic/neutral form so that no isoelectric point is encountered during the copolymer synthesis. Afterwards, the solution pH can be adjusted to the isoelectric point by the addition of acid to protonate the weakly basic MEMA residues and precipitate the copolymer, which might be a useful alternative approach to column chromatography for the efficient removal of the ATRP catalyst. 

A series of interesting block copolymer architectures has also been prepared by Zhang et al. In a first paper, the synthesis of H-shaped triblock copolymers was demonstrated from enzymatically obtained PCL diol after end-functionalization with a difunctional ATRP initiator [40]. This allowed the growth of two PS chains from each end of the telechelic PCL. When methanol instead of glycol was used as the initiator in the initial enzymatic CL polymerization, a PCL with one hydroxyl endgroup was obtained. Functionalization of this endgroup with the difunctional ATRP initiator and subsequent ATRP of styrene or GMA resulted in Y-shaped polymers (Scheme 3) [41, 42]. 

Chiral polymers can be prepared using a one-pot system, i.e., all reactants and catalysts are present at the start of the reaction and both catalysts work simultaneously. However, one can also envisage the synthesis of chiral polymers using catalysts in sequence, either in one pot or even completely independent of each other. This section will deal with the synthesis of chiral block copolymers using different catalysts in sequence. An interesting example of the synthesis of chiral polymers using catalysts in sequence is the synthesis of chiral block copolymers in a sequential approach. Both ATRP and nitroxide-mediated LFRP were evaluated for this purpose. 

Controlled free-radical polymerization methods, like atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), can yield polymer chains that have a very narrow molecular-weight distribution and allow the synthesis of block copolymers. In a collaboration between Matyjaszewski and DeSimone (Xia et al., 1999), ATRP was performed in C02 for the first time. PFOMA-/)-PMMA, PFOMA-fr-PDMAEMA [DMAEMA = 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate], and PMMA-/)-PFOA-/)-PM M A copolymers were synthesized in C02 using Cu(0), CuCl, a functionalized bipyridine ligand, and an alkyl halide initiator. The ATRP method was also conducted as a dispersion polymerization of MMA in C02 with PFOA as the stabilizer, generating a kine-... 

To prepare block copolymers by ATRP, the initiation site for living radical polymerization can be introduced at the end of a polymer chain. In this context, terminally functionalized POs are useful for the synthesis of block copolymers. 

CRP is a powerful tool for the synthesis of both polymers with narrow molecular weight distribution and of block copolymers. In aqueous systems, besides ATRP, the RAFT method in particular has been used successfully. A mrmber of uncharged, anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic monomers could be polymerized and several amphiphilic block copolymers were prepared from these monomers [150,153]. The success of a RAFT polymerization depends mainly on the chain transfer agent (CTA) involved. A key question is the hydrolytic stability of the terminal thiocarbonyl functionaHty of the growing polymers. Here, remarkable progress could be achieved by the synthesis of several new dithiobenzoates [150-152]. 

The synthesis of narrowly distributed polycarbobetaines 17a, 18, and 19 has already been mentioned. Block copolymers containing these structures and styrene were prepared hkely by functionalization of reactive block copolymer precursors [161]. Well-defined block copolymers with phospholipid sequences were prepared using both RAFT and ATRP techniques. 

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