Star and Hyperbranched Polyisobutylenes via Terminally Reactive Polyisobutylene‐Polystyrene Block Copolymers

Abstract

AbstractUnique, highly branched polyisobutylenes (PIB) were prepared via quasiliving carbocationic copolymerization of isobutylene and styrene (St) monomers. The junction points were formed by Friedel‐Crafts self alkylation of PSt segments by the carbocationic chain ends. First, linear PIB was prepared with reactive chain ends. This was reacted with St monomer to form PIB‐b‐PSt AB, and PSt‐b‐PIB‐b‐PSt ABA type triblock copolymers with reactive carbocationic chain ends. The terminal carbonations react with the phenyl group of the polystyrene end‐segments of the block copolymers leading to chain coupling, and thus PIB star polymers in the case of AB and hyperbranched PIB from ABA block copolymers. The resulting branched polymers were characterized and the branch formation was confirmed by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR).