Abstract
Summary: Solketal acrylate (SA) was homopolymerized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using CuBr/N,N,Nโฒ,Nโณ,Nโณโpentamethyldiethylenetriamine as the catalyst and cyclohexanone as the solvent with controlled molecular weights and low polydispersities. The prepared bromineโterminated homopolymers, PSA, were used as macroinitiators to initiate polymerization of tertโbutyl acrylate (__t__BA) under similar ATRP conditions to produce diblock copolymers, PSAโbโP__t__BA, with controlled molecular weights and low polydispersities. ATRP of SA using bromineโterminated P__t__BA as the macroinitiator was also carried out and diblock copolymers, P__t__BAโbโPSA, were obtained. The PSA block was selectively hydrolyzed by stirring for 3 h in 6 N HCl/THF (1/9, v/v) at room temperature to form a poly(glycerol monoacrylate) block. Both blocks of PSA and P__t__BA were hydrolyzed by stirring in anhydrous trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)/dichloromethane for 4 h, then adding water to the system and stirring for another 3 h to form corresponding diblock copolymers of glycerol monoacrylate and acrylic acid.
Kinetic plot for the atom transfer radical polymerization of solketal acrylate at 90โยฐC.
magnified imageKinetic plot for the atom transfer radical polymerization of solketal acrylate at 90โยฐC.