Side-Chain Modification and Grafting Onto via Olefin Cross-Metathesis

de Espinosa, Lucas Montero; Kempe, Kristian; Schubert, Ulrich S.; Hoogenboom, Richard; Meier, Michael

Abstract:

Olefin cross-metathesis is introduced as a versatile polymer side-chain modification technique. The reaction of a poly(2-oxazoline) featuring terminal double bonds in the side chains with a variety of functional acrylates has been successfully performed in the presence of Hoveyda–Grubbs second-generation catalyst. Self-metathesis, which would lead to polymer–polymer coupling, can be avoided by using an excess of the cross-metathesis partner and a catalyst loading of 5 mol%. The results suggest that bulky acrylates reduce chain–chain coupling due to self-metathesis. Moreover, different functional groups such as alkyl chains, hydroxyl, and allyl acetate groups, as well as an oligomeric poly(ethylene glycol) and a perfluorinated alkyl chain have been grafted with quantitative conversions.

Year:

2012

Type of Publication:

Article

Keywords:

cross-metathesis; functionalization of polymers; graft copolymers; poly 2-oxazoline

Journal:

Macromolecular Rapid Communications

Volume:

-

Pages:

Early View