Block copolymers controlled initiation, scheme

GTP was employed for the synthesis of block copolymers with the first block PDMAEMA and the second PDEAEMA, poly[2-(diisopropylamino)e-thyl methacrylate], PDIPAEMA or poly[2-(N-morpholino)ethyl methacrylate], PM EM A (Scheme 33) [87]. The reactions took place under an inert atmosphere in THF at room temperature with l-methoxy-l-trimethylsiloxy-2-methyl-1-propane, MTS, as the initiator and tetra-n-butyl ammonium bibenzoate, TBABB, as the catalyst. Little or no homopolymer contamination was evidenced by SEC analysis. Copolymers in high yields with controlled molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions were obtained in all cases. The micellar properties of these materials were studied in aqueous solutions. 

In a very similar way, hydroxy functionalized ATRP initiators such as 2,2,2-tribromoethanol can be used for the simultaneous polymerization of eCL and MMA (Scheme 25) [83]. Purposely, the ROP of eCL is promoted by Al(OfPr)3 added in catalytic amount so that the rapid alcohol-alkoxide exchange reaction (see Sect. 2.4) activates all the hydroxyl functions. In order to avoid initiation by the isopropoxy groups of Al(0/Pr)3. The in-situ formed zPrOH is removed by distillation of the zPrOH/toluene azeotrope. On the other hand, the ATRP of MMA is catalyzed by NiBr2(PPh3)3. The two aforementioned one-step methods provide block copolymers with controlled composition and molecular weights, but with a slightly broad MWD (PDI=1.5-2). 

The first diblock copolymer brushes synthesized in our group were made by a combination of carbocationic polymerization and ATRP (Scheme 1) [46]. Zhao and co-workers [47] synthesized diblock copolymer brushes consisting of a tethered chlorine-terminated PS block, produced using carbocationic polymerization, on top of which was added a block of either PMMA, poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) or poly((Ar,M -dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA), synthesized using ATRP. The thickness of the outer poly(meth)acrylate block was controlled by adding varying amounts of free initiator to the ATRP media. It has been reported that the addition of free initiator is required to provide a sufficiently high concentration of deactivator, which is necessary for controlled polymerizations from the sur-... 

Apart from ATRP, the concept of dual initiation was also applied to other (controlled) polymerization techniques. Nitroxide-mediated living free radical polymerization (LFRP) is one example reported by van As et al. and has the advantage that no further metal catalyst is required [43], Employing initiator NMP-1, a PCL macroinitiator was obtained and subsequent polymerization of styrene produced a block copolymer (Scheme 4). With this system, it was for the first time possible to successfully conduct a one-pot chemoenzymatic cascade polymerization from a mixture containing NMP-1, CL, and styrene. Since the activation temperature of NMP is around 100 °C, no radical polymerization will occur at the reaction temperature of the enzymatic ROP. The two reactions could thus be thermally separated by first carrying out the enzymatic polymerization at low temperature and then raising the temperature to around 100 °C to initiate the NMP. Moreover, it was shown that this approach is compatible with the stereoselective polymerization of 4-MeCL for the synthesis of chiral block copolymers. 

The dual function of the precatalysts 4 opened the way to well-controlled block polymerization of ethylene and MMA (eq. (5)) [89, 90]. Homopolymerization of ethylene (Mn = 10000) and subsequent copolymerization with MAA (Mn 20000) yielded the desired linear AB block copolymers. Mono and bis(alkyl/silyl)-substituted flyover metallocene hydride complexes of type 8 gave the first well-controlled block copoymerization of higher a-olefins with polar monomers such as MMA or CL [91]. In contast to the rapid formation of polyethylene [92], the polymerization of 1-pentene and 1-hexene proceeded rather slowly. For example, AB block copolymers featuring poly( 1-pentene) blocks (M 14000, PDI = 1.41) and polar PMMA blocks (M 34000, PDI = 1.77) were obtained. Due to the bis-initiating action of samarocene(II) complexes (Scheme 4), type 13-15 precatalysts are capable of producing ABA block copolymers of type poly(MMA-co-ethylene-co-MMA), poly(CL-co-ethylene-co-CL), and poly(DTC-co-ethylene-co-DTC DTC = 2,2-dimethyltrimethylene carbonate) [90]. 

Living anionic polymerization can also be used to produce well-controlled block copolymers. For PMMA, the best procedures need temperatures below O C and are therefore unlikely to be commercially attractive. Hiey are, furthermore, largely unsuccessful for the controlled polymerization of acrylates, which are far too reactive. The use of tetraalkyl ammonium ate complexes, in conjunction with an appropriate aluminum catalyst, solved fhis problem [225]. The function of the ammonium counterion is to promote dissociation of the complex ion to form the reactive ate complex of the aluminum enolate of the ester (Scheme 6.176). Thus, polymerization was initiated by the lithium enolate of isobutylate in the presence of the ate complex of Me3Al-R3NCl. A controlled block copolymer (PMMA-block-... 

Non-living polymerization techniques can be combined with CRP methods to produce block copolymers. The first example of transforming a hydroxy functionality into an ATRP initiator was demonstrated by Gaynor and Matyjaszewski [223], who converted a polysulfone,prepared through the condensation polymerization of 4,4-difluorosulfone with an excess of bisphenol A, to an ATRP initiator by reaction with 2-bromopropionyl bromide for subsequent controlled polymerization reactions (cf. Scheme 26). The transformation proved to be quantitative and the macroinitiator (Mn=4030,Mw/Mn=1.5) was used for formation of triblock copolymers with St (Mn=10,700,Mw/Mn=l.l) or nBA (Mn=15,300,Mw/Mn=1.2) as shown in Fig. 31 [223]. DSC analysis provided evidence of the presence of two distinct blocks with Tg=153-159 °C (polysulfone) and 104 °C (pSt) or -41 °C (pBA). 

Later work by Frechet et al. attempted to prepare ABA diblock copolymers using the same methodology [255]. Two polyether dendrons were connected to a dihydroxy functional TEMPO moiety, which was then used to initiate, as well as control, the polymerization of St and formed dumbbell-shaped block copolymers (Scheme 29). The ABA block copolymers were formed however, there was some initial contamination from mono- and bis-dendritic species, which were removed by column chromatography. In addition, XH NMR analysis determined that the purified ABA triblock copolymers were also contaminated with AB diblock copolymers. This was attributed to the persistent radical effect, as well as inherent problems with the mobility of the bulky dendron counter radical, both of which will result in the AB diblock copolymers. Thermal polymerization may also contribute to diblock formation, as the radicals generated will be trapped by the counter radical dendron, but would not contain the initiating dendron moiety. Pure ABA triblock copolymer was obtained after two purification cycles using column chromatography [255]. 

Numerous examples of block copolymers formed in supercritical C02 via the bifunctional initiator approach have been reported [54], Perhaps the most common approach is to incorporate eROP with free-radical polymerization-the general scheme for this methodology is shown in Figure 13.3. Howdle et al. [55] was the first to report the synthesis of a block copolymer by the bifunctional initiator approach in supercritical C02 and showed the simultaneous eROP of e-caprolactone with controlled free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP)-at this time simultaneous eROP and ATRP had not been reported in any media. The bifunctional initiator incorporated both a primary hydroxyl group (as an initiation site for eROP of e-caprolactone) and a bromine moiety (for initiation of ATRP). Howdle showed that... 

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