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

C.R. Becer, R.M. Paulus, S. ppener, R. Hoogenboom, C.A. Fustin, J.M.W. Gohy, U.S. Schubert

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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 ?-bromoisobutyrylbromide (BrEBBr) initiated CROP of EtOx was performed in acetonitrile at different polymerization temperatures ranging from 100 to 180ÝC 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-(dimemylamino)ethyl]amine (Me 6Tren) 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). © 2008 American Chemical Society
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5210-5215
JournalMacromolecules
Volume41
Issue number14
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2008

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