Macromolecular Architecture Based on Anionically Prepared Poly(ethylene oxide) Macromonomers

Abstract

Synthesis of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) macromonomers carrying a methacyloyl group in one end, and N, N-dimethyl amino, thiophene, styryl and vinyl ether functional groups in the other end was desribed. The general synthetic strategy is based on the living anionic polymerization of ethylene oxide initiated with functional potassium alcoholates, followed by reaction with methacyloyl chloride. These macromonomers were further utilized in various macromolecular architectures through via concurrent or selective thermal free radical, oxidative and photoinitiated free radical and cationic polymerization methods. The use of this synthetic route to prepare graft copolymers possessing completly and perfectly alternating PEO side chains using charge-transfer-complex polymerization was also demonstrated.