Block Copolymers of Poly(2-oxazoline)s and Poly(meth)acrylates: A Crossover between CROP and RAFT

Krieg, Andreas; Weber, Christine; Hoogenboom, Richard; Becer, C. Remzi; Schubert, Ulrich S.

Abstract:

To combine the advantages of poly(2-oxazoline)s (POx) and controlled radical polymerization (CRP) techniques, the cationic ring-opening polymerization (CROP) of 2-methyl-2-oxazoline (MeOx), 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline (EtOx), and 2-n-nonyl-2-oxazoline (NonOx) were terminated with a carboxylic acid functionalized chain transfer agent (CTA). The obtained PEtOx with a high degree of functionalization (DF) was used as macro-CTA for the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of various vinylic monomers (styrene (St), methyl acrylate (MA), tert-butyl acrylate (tBuA), acrylic acid (AA), N,N-dimethyl acrylamide (DMAAm), and N,N-dimethylaminoethylacrylate (DMAEA)) resulting in well-defined block copolymers. Thus, in this work we report a versatile route to combine poly(2-oxazoline)s prepared via CROP with RAFT polymerization for the synthesis of novel block copolymers.

Year:

2012

Type of Publication:

Article

Journal:

Macro Letters

Volume:

1

Pages:

776 - 779