0000000000131771
AUTHOR
Ramona D. Barent
Tapered Multiblock Star Copolymers: Synthesis, Selective Hydrogenation, and Properties
Two series of well-defined multiblock four-arm tapered star copolymers with “arms” of the type poly(styrene)-block-poly(isoprene-grad-styrene), (SI/S)₄, were synthesized on a multigram scale with short reaction times. Targeted molecular weight (M) values ranged from 80 to 240 kg mol–¹ with polystyrene (PS) compositions of 40 and 60 wt %. Narrowly distributed (Đ = 1.04–1.12) copolymers were obtained regardless of M and without additional purification beyond precipitation. At sufficiently high M, members of the 40 wt % PS series possessed either a cylindrical or bicontinuous morphology, whereas the 60 wt % PS series yielded lamellae. The star copolymers outperformed their corresponding linear…
Multifunctional Fe(III)-Binding Polyethers from Hydroxamic Acid-Based Epoxide Monomers.
Multiple hydroxamic acids are introduced at poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) via copolymerization of ethylene oxide with a novel epoxide monomer containing a 1,4,2-dioxazole-protected hydroxamic acid (HAAGE). AB- and ABA-type di- and triblock copolymers as well as statistical copolymers of HAAGE and ethylene oxide are prepared in a molecular weight range between 2600 and 12 000 g mol-1 with low dispersities (Ð < 1.2). Cleavage of the acetal protecting group after the polymerization is achieved by mild acidic treatment, releasing multiple free hydroxamic acids tethered to the polyether backbone. The chelation properties of different polymer architectures (statistical versus diblock and ABA triblo…