Synthesis and characterization of polystyrene-block-poly(methylphenylsilylene) and polyisoprene-block-poly(methylphenylsilylene)

Abstract

Polystyrene/poly(methylphenylsilylene) and polyisoprene/poly(methylphenylsilylene) block copolymers were prepared by two independent methods. Subsequent additions of solutions of cyclotetrasilanes in benzene to the living ends of the polystyrene and polyisoprene resulted in the formation of well-defined block copolymers with narrow molecular weight distributions ( M w/ M n < 1.3). Condensation of the living ends of polyisoprene and polystyrene with bromide end-terminal polysilanes also resulted in the formation of block copolymers. The materials were characterized by 1H and 29Si NMR, GPC, DSC and elemental analysis.