Functional polymers and sequential copolymers by phase transfer catalysis, 1. Alternating block copolymers of unsaturated polyethers and aromatic poly(ether sulfone)s

Abstract

AbstractWilliamson etherification in the presence of phase transfer catalysts was successfully applied to the synthesis of alternating block copolymers and regular copolymers. Unsaturated polyethers(5a and 5b) containing chloroallylic (electrophilic) end groups (prepared from cis‐or trans‐1, 4‐dichloro‐2‐butene and Bisphenol A) and aromatic poly(ether sulfone)s (3a) containing terminal phenol (nucleophilic) groups were polycondensed in the presence of tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate as phase transfer catalyst to give alternating block copolymers. The same telechelic polymers were chain‐extended with dinucleophilic or dielectrophilic monomers under similar reaction conditions. Both the regular copolymers and the alternating block copolymers were characterized by gel pormeation chromatography and DSC.