Amphiphilic Gradient Copolymers Containing Fluorinated 2-Phenyl-2-oxazolines: Microwave-Assisted One-Pot Synthesis and Self-Assembly in Water

Lobert, Matthias; Hoogenboom, Richard; Fustin, Charles-Andre; Gohy, Jean-Francois; Schubert, Ulrich S.

Abstract:

Here, we present the one-step synthesis of 2-(m-difluorophenyl)-2-oxazoline and its use as a monomer for microwave-assisted statistical cationic ring-opening copolymerizations (CROP). Well-defined amphiphilic gradient copolymers, as evidenced by the polymerization kinetics, were prepared using 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline as comonomer and methyl tosylate as initiator in nitromethane at 140 8C. The resulting gradient copolymers (DP ¼ 60 and 100) were characterized by means of size exclusion chromatography and 1H NMR spectroscopy. In the second part, we focus on a detailed study of the self-assembly of the copolymers in aqueous solution using atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering. Both methods revealed the self-assembly of the gradient copolymers into spherical micelles. To quantify the influence of the fluorine atoms and the monomer distribution on the self-assembly, a comparative study with gradient copolymers of 2-phenyl-2-oxazoline and 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline was performed.

Year:

2008

Type of Publication:

Article

Keywords:

fluorophilic; gradient copolymer; living polymerization; micelles; micellization; poly2-oxazoline; statistical copolymer

Journal:

Journal of Polymer Science: Part A: Polymer Chemistry

Volume:

46

Pages:

5859 - 5868