Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry, Vol.56, No.22, 2584-2594, 2018
Synthesis of transparent block copolymers consisting of poly(diisopropyl fumarate) and poly(2-ethylhexyl acrylate) segments by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization using trithiocarbonates as the chain transfer agents
The reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization of diisopropyl fumarate (DiPF) was carried out using ethyl 2-[[(dodecylthio)thioxymethyl]thio]-2-methylpropionate (T1) and 1,1 '-(1,2-ethanediyl) bis[2-[[(dodecylthio)thioxymethyl]thio]-2-methylpropionate] (T2) as the monofunctional and difunctional chain transfer agents (CTAs) to synthesize poly(diisopropyl fumarate) (PDiPF) with a rigid chain conformation. The obtained PDiPF had a well-controlled molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, and structure of the chain ends. Size exclusion chromatography and NMR measurements revealed an excellent introduction efficiency (84-98%) of the terminal trithiocarbonate group into the polymer chain end. They were available as the monofunctional and difunctional macro-CTAs to synthesize the AB and ABA block copolymers, respectively. While the well-controlled block copolymers were solely obtained by the polymerization of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate as the second monomer in the presence of PDiPF as the macro-CTA, the block copolymerization of DiPF using poly(2-ethylhexyl acrylate) as the macro-CTA failed. The trithiocarbonate group at the chain end was completely removed by the reaction with n-butylamine and it was valid for the improvement of the coloration and other optical properties of the transparent polymers. (c) 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018, 56, 2584-2594
Keywords:block copolymer;controlled polymerization;dialkyl fumarate;living radical polymerization;RAFT polymerization;rigid polymer;transparent polymer;trithiocarbonate