Macromolecular Rapid Communications, Vol.30, No.16, 1413-1418, 2009
Synthesis of Well-Defined Polybenzamide-block-Polystyrene by Combination of Chain-Growth Condensation Polymerization and RAFT Polymerization
Well-defined diblock copolymers composed of poly(N-octylbenzamide) and polystyrene were synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of styrene with a polyamide chain transfer agent (CTA) prepared via chain-growth condensation polymerization. Synthesis of a dithioester-type macro-CTA possessing the polyamide segment as an activating group was unsatisfactory due to side reactions and incomplete introduction of the benzyl dithiocarbonyl unit. On the other hand, a dithiobenzoate-CTA containing poly(N-octylbenzamide) as a radical leaving group was easily synthesized, and the RAFT polymerization of styrene with this CTA afforded poly(N-octylbenzamide)-block-polystyrene with controlled molecular weight and narrow polydispersity.
Keywords:chain-growth condensation polymerization;diblock copolymers;polyamides;polystyrene (PS);reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT)