Polymer Bulletin, Vol.71, No.6, 1421-1431, 2014
Controlled radical polymerization with polyolefin macroinitiator: a convenient and versatile approach to polyolefin-based block and graft copolymers
This paper introduces the new synthetic methodology of polyolefin-based block and graft copolymers with polar segments [e.g., polystyrene and poly(meth)acrylates]. Various brominated polyolefins were prepared by bromination of polyolefins with N-bromosuccinimide. The resulting brominated polyolefins were able to initiate the controlled radical polymerization of polar monomers, such as methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, t-butyl acrylate, styrene and 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl acrylate, using a CuBr/N,N,N',NaEuro(3),NaEuro(3)-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine catalyst system, leading to a variety of polyolefin-based copolymers with a different content of the corresponding polar segment. Because of the accessible synthesis of polyolefin macroinitiators, this synthetic methodology is expected to result in the preparation of a wide range of polyolefin-based block and graft copolymers.
Keywords:Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP);Functionalization of polymers;Graft polymers;Halogenated;Polyolefin