Well-Defined Graft Copolymers Based on the Selective Living Anionic Polymerization of the Bifunctional Monomer 4-(Vinylphenyl)-1-butene

Abstract

The anionic copolymerization of the bifunctional monomer 4-(vinylphenyl)-1-butene (VSt) with styrene (St) was carried out in a mixture of toluene and tetrahydrofuran (THF), using n-BuLi as initiator, at −40 °C. During this process, the styrene type CC bond of VSt was selectively polymerized, and the other one in its butenyl moiety remained unchanged. The molecular weight and the composition of the resulting copolymer could be well-controlled, and its molecular weight distribution was very narrow (Mw/Mn = 1.03−1.04). The unreacted butenyl groups of the VSt units were further reacted with chlorodimethylsilane, generating another functional copolymer with reactive chlorodimethylbutylsilyl side chains. This functional polymer was used as a backbone polymer and reacted with the anionic living polymers of St, isoprene (Is), or methyl methacrylate (MMA). This coupling reaction resulted in the formation of well-defined graft (co)polymers with a poly(St) backbone and either poly(St) or poly(Is) or poly(MMA) side c...