Synthesis of well-defined poly(vinyl ether)-based macromonomers having pendant glycerols via living cationic polymerization and their application to the preparation of core−shell polymer particles

Abstract

A new vinyl ether monomer bearing a glycerol pendant moiety protected with an isopropylidene group (2-(2,2-dimethyl-[1,3]dioxolan-4-ylmethoxy)-ethyl vinyl ether, IpGEVE) was designed as the precursor of a novel type of hydrophilic poly(vinyl ether) containing glycerol pendants. It was found that the polymerization of IpGEVE proceeded in a controlled manner, and the protecting groups of isopropylidene moieties could be cleaved with trifluoroacetic acid. Living cationic polymerization of IpGEVE with an initiator bearing a methacryloyl group (VEM-HCl) and subsequent deprotection of the pendant isopropylidene groups of the resultant precursor afforded a glycerol-substituted hydrophilic macromonomer MA-PGEVE. Nearly monodispersed polymer particles in the submicron size range were successfully obtained via dispersion copolymerization of MA-PGEVE with styrene.© 2013 Society of Chemical Industry