Polyethylene-Based Tadpole Copolymers

Abstract

Novel well-defined polyethylene-based tadpole copolymers {(c-PE)-b-PS, PE: polyethylene, PS: polystyrene} with ring PE head and linear PS tail are synthesized by combining polyhomologation, atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), and Glaser coupling reaction. The OH groups of the 3-miktoarm star copolymers (PE-OH)2-b-PS, synthesized by polyhomologation and ATRP, are transformed to alkyne groups by esterification with propiolic acid, followed by Glaser cyclization and removal of the unreacted linear with Merrifield's resin–azide. The characterization results of intermediates and final products by high-temperature size exclusion chromatography, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry confirm the tadpole topology. (Figure presented.).