Controlled synthesis of anthracene-labeled -amine polystyrene to be used as a probe for interfacial reaction with mutually reactive PMMA

Abstract

Anthracene-labeled polystyrene (PS) endcapped by a primary amine has been synthesized by atom transfer radical copolymerization of styrene with 3-isopropenyl-α,α-dimethylbenzyl isocyanata (m-TMI). The m-TMI co-monomer (5.7 mol-%) does not perturb the control of the radical polymerization of styrene. The pendan isocyanate groups of the copolymer chains of low polydispersity (M w /M n = 1.25) and controlled molecular weight (up to 35 000) have been derivatized into anthracene by a reaction with 9-methyl(aminomethyl)anthracene. The anthracene-labeled PS (ca. 2 mol-% label) has been conveniently analyzed by size-exclusion chromatography with a UV detector (SEC-UV). Moreover, the ω-bromide end-group of the copolymer chains has been derivatized into a primary amine, making the labeled PS chains reactive towards non-miscible poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) chains endcapped by an anhydride. The interfacial coupling of the mutually reactive PS and PMMA chains has been studied under static conditions (i.e., at the interface between thin PS and PMMA films) and successfully analyzed by SEC-UV.