Synthesis and characterization of polysulfone-based graft copolymers possessing quaternary ammonium salts via photoiniferter polymerization

Abstract

Well-defined polysulfone-based graft copolymers containing quaternary ammonium salts were successfully prepared by photoiniferter method under mild conditions (at room temperature and nitrogen atmosphere). The corresponding macroiniferter agent was sequentially synthesized by chloromethylation and nucleophilic substitution reactions between obtained chloromethylated polysulfone and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate. Upon UV irradiation, this macroiniferter enabled the accomplished grafting of 2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate onto the polysulfone backbone in a controlled manner. After the successful synthesis of graft copolymers, the tertiary amine groups in the side-chains are readily quaternized using methyl iodide to get desired quaternary ammonium salts containing graft copolymers.