Polystyrene living polymer synthesis

Ion coupling of anionic and cationic living polymers is an interesting procedure for the synthesis of a well-defined block copolymer. Attempted coupling of the polystyrene anion with the poly-THF cation initiated by triethyloxonium tetrafluoro-borate yielded a block copolymer mixed with homopolymers394. The block ef-... 

A radical initiator based on the oxidation adduct of an alkyl-9-BBN (47) has been utilized to produce poly(methylmethacrylate) (48) (Fig. 31) from methylmethacrylate monomer by a living anionic polymerization route that does not require the mediation of a metal catalyst. The relatively broad molecular weight distribution (PDI = (MJM ) 2.5) compared with those in living anionic polymerization cases was attributed to the slow initiation of the polymerization.69 A similar radical polymerization route aided by 47 was utilized in the synthesis of functionalized syndiotactic polystyrene (PS) polymers by the copolymerization of styrene.70 The borane groups in the functionalized syndiotactic polystyrenes were transformed into free-radical initiators for the in situ free-radical graft polymerization to prepare s-PS-g-PMMA graft copolymers. 

The living ends of a suitable polymer may initiate polymerization of another monomer, and thus lead to the synthesis of block polymers free of homopolymers. For sample, one prepares living polystyrene then adds pure methyl methacrylate to its solution and produces in this way a block polymer of styrene and methyl methacrylate (22). Actually, it is possible to produce living polymers with two active ends which can form a block polymer containing three segments—ABA. 

Although synthesis will not be discussed in this chapter, this is the proper point to emphasize that the synthesis and characterization of end functionalized iiacrMolecules with narrow molecular weight distribution [MWD] are often the most difficult part of the entire probl . Several different types of polymers of the form Py-polymer-Py have been studied because of the ready availability of the corresponding polymers with -OH groups on both ends. The techniques of polymerization via living polymers is best understood for polystyrene. TT annihilation studies have been reported only for A-polystyrene-A, and exciplex measurements are known only for are known only for DMA-polystyrene-Py. 

Needless to say, vinyl polymerization is one of the most important methods for polymer synthesis. A variety of carbon-carbon (C-C) main chain polymers have been prepared by the vinyl polymerization of monomers with diverse substituents, via radical, cationic, anionic, or coordination mechanism. Furthermore, with the technological achievement such as living and stereoselective (or stereospecific) polymerizations, fine-tuning of the polymer structure with respect to molecular weight and tacticity has been realized in a number of examples. In particular, polymers obtained with vinyl polymerization (vinyl polymer) as represented by polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and poly(methyl methacrylate) have contributed to the progress of modern society in various aspects as useful synthetic materials. 

Anionic grafting methods (vide infra) can be applied to the synthesis of comb-shaped polymers. As an example, a polystyrene backbone is partially chloromethylated (under mild conditions) and used as an electrophilic deactivator for a living polystyrene 89). The grafting onto process yields well defined species that have been characterized accurately. The branches are distributed randomly along the backbone 90). 

Although the core-first method is the simplest, success depends on initiator preparation and quantitative initiation under living conditions. This method is of limited use in anionic polymerization because of the generally poor solubility of multifunctional initiators in hydrocarbon solvents [12]. Solubilities of multifunctional initiators are less of an issue in cationic polymerizations, and tri- and tetrafunctional initiators have been used to prepare well-defined three- and four-arm star polymers by this method [7] Except for two reports on the synthesis of hexa-arm polystyrene [27] and hexa-arm polyoxazoHne [26], there is a dearth of information in regard to well-defined multifunctional initiators for the preparation of higher functionality stars. 

On the other hand, Ishizu et al. [58] reported the synthesis of cyclic polystyrene using interfacial condensation reaction of a/o-dibromopolyslyrcnc prepared from living polystyrene initiated with sodium naphthalene and terminated with 1,4-dibromobutane and then tetramethylenediamine as depicted in Fig. 11. The reaction was carried out in organic solvent/water to yield in more than 90%. The effect of solvent on the yield of cycUc polymer was observed, and the yield of cyclic product obtained in DMSO was higher than that in toluene. Since DMSO dissolves in both water and toluene, the reaction proceeded faster than that in toluene. 

Investigations were mainly devoted to the synthesis of telechelic polymers and copolymers rather than to living radical polymerization. In particular, from 1960, Imoto et al. [234] started surveys on the synthesis of block copolymers from this method. Thus, polystyrene-i>-poly(vinyl alcohol) diblock copolymer... 

The ABA-type block copolymers B-86 to B-88 were synthesized via termination of telechelic living poly-(THF) with sodium 2-bromoisopropionate followed by the copper-catalyzed radical polymerizations.387 A similar method has also been utilized for the synthesis of 4-arm star block polymers (arm B-82), where the transformation is done with /3-bromoacyl chloride and the hydroxyl terminal of poly(THF).388 The BAB-type block copolymers where polystyrene is the midsegment were prepared by copper-catalyzed radical polymerization of styrene from bifunctional initiators, followed by the transformation of the halogen terminal into a cationic species with silver perchlorate the resulting cation was for living cationic polymerization of THF.389 A similar transformation with Ph2I+PF6- was carried out for halogen-capped polystyrene and poly(/>methoxystyrene), and the resultant cationic species subsequently initiated cationic polymerization of cyclohexene oxide to produce... 

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