Ruthenocene-Containing Homopolymers and Block Copolymers via ATRP and RAFT Polymerization

Abstract

Ruthenocene-containing methacrylate homopolymer, poly(2-(methacrylolyoxy)ethyl ruthenocenecarboxylate) (PMAERu), was prepared by controlled polymerization methods such as reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Kinetic studies showed that both the RAFT and ATRP process of monomer 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl ruthenocenecarboxylate (MAERu) followed a controlled/“living” polymerization behavior. The obtained polymer PMAERu was fully characterized by NMR, gel permeation chromatography, UV–vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. By using the ruthenocene-containing homopolymer as a Macro-RAFT agent and 2-bromoisobutyryl end-capped poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-Br) as a macroinitiator, different amphiphilic diblock copolymers were synthesized via successful chain extension. These amphiphilic diblock copolymers can self-assemble into micelles with different morphologies, includ...