Synthesis of a Novel Centipede-like Copolymer of Styrene and Methyl Methacrylate

Abstract

A well-defined, A2B-type, centipede-like copolymer of styrene and methyl methacrylate (PS-PS-PMMA) was synthesized by the combination of living anionic polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The synthetic approach involves the coupling reaction of polystyrene (PS) backbone bearing 1,1-diphenylethene (DPE) pendant groups, produced by ATRP and Wittig reaction, with living polystyryllithium (PSLi), and subsequent polymerization of the resulting 1,1-diphenylmethyl anions with methy methacrylate. The centipede-like copolymer was characterized by 1 H NMR, IR, SEC, SLS, and DSC measurements.