Graft Copolymers with Polyamide Backbones via Combination of Passerini Multicomponent Polymerization and Controlled Chain-growth Polymerization

Abstract

We report a facile ‘grafting from’ approach to graft copolymers with polyamide backbones and controlled vinyl polymer or polyester side chains. Two polyamides with in situ-formed pendant bromide or hydroxyl groups were obtained by Passerini-based multicomponent polymerization. They were used respectively to initiate the atom-transfer radical polymerization of vinyl monomers or the ring-opening polymerization of lactones to generate two new types of graft copolymers. One of the important features of the method is that the pendant initiators are generated in situ from non-branching monomers, and they are linked to the polymer backbone by ester bonds. Therefore, the vinyl polymer side chains could be detached from the backbones, and their structures could thus be fully characterized. Moreover, multicomponent polymerization and atom-transfer radical polymerization can even be carried out in a one-pot manner.