Synthesis of Poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-b-poly(styrene) Copolymers via a Dual Initiator Route Combining Cationic Ring-Opening Polymerization and Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization
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Becer, C. Remzi; Paulus, Renzo M.; Höppener, Stephanie; Hoogenboom, Richard; Fustin, Charles-Andre; Gohy, Jean-Francois; Schubert, Ulrich S.
- Abstract:
- Block copolymers of 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline (EtOx) and styrene were synthesized by a combination
of cationic ring-opening polymerization (CROP) and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Initially, a
detailed kinetic investigation for the R-bromoisobutyrylbromide (BrEBBr) initiated CROP of EtOx was performed
in acetonitrile at different polymerization temperatures ranging from 100 to 180 °C under microwave irradiation.
Poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEtOx) homopolymers with controlled molecular weights and narrow polydispersity
indices were synthesized in short reaction times. Polymers with relatively high molar masses and low polydispersity
indices (Mn,SEC ) 48 500 g/mol, PDI ) 1.29) could also be obtained. Following the synthesis of a PEtOx
macroinitiator (Mn,SEC ) 3700 g/mol, PDI ) 1.09), the ATRP of styrene was performed with CuBr and tris[2-
(dimethylamino)ethyl]amine (Me6Tren) as catalytic system. The micellization behavior of the obtained amphiphilic
block copolymers was further investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM).
- Year:
- 2008
- Type of Publication:
- Article
- Journal:
- Macromolecules
- Volume:
- 41
- Pages:
- 5210 - 5215