Amphiphilic Poly(ε-caprolactone)-Poly(vinyl alcohol) Block Copolymer: Preparation from a Bifunctional Initiator

Abstract

Synthesis of a new block copolymer, Poly(ε-caprolactone)-block- Poly(vinyloxytriethylsilane) (PCL-b-PVOTES) was examined by using a bifunctional initiator 4-(2-Hydroxyethoxy)benzaldehyde (4-HEBA) or (5-Hydroxymethyl)furfural (5-HMF) which was responsive to both living ring-opening polymerization (ROP) and aldol-type group-transfer polymerization (Aldol-GTP). The structures of the resulting block copolymers were confirmed by 1HNMR, IR, and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). Desilylation of this PCL-b-PVOTES copolymer by acidic methanol resulted in an aimed amphiphilic block copolymer, namely Poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PCL-b-PVA).