6533b855fe1ef96bd12b1b0e

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Thermo- and Light-Responsive Polymers Containing Photoswitchable Azobenzene End Groups

Peter J. RothFlorian D. JochumPatrick TheatoLisa Zur Borg

subject

Telechelic polymerAzo compoundPolymers and PlasticsOrganic ChemistryRadical polymerizationChain transferMethacrylateInorganic Chemistrychemistry.chemical_compoundAzobenzenechemistryPolymerizationPolymer chemistryMaterials ChemistryOrganic chemistryEthylene glycol

description

Telechelic thermo- and light-responsive polymers based on poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) P(OEGMA) with azobenzene functionalities at the end groups were synthesized. In a reversible addition−fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using a functionalized chain transfer agent (CTA) containing a pentafluorophenyl (PFP) activated ester, oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA, Mn ∼ 300 g mol−1) could successfully be polymerized with good control over molecular weight, very high conversions, and narrow molecular weight distributions. Polymers derived from this CTA possessed an activated ester at the α-end of the polymer chain as well as a dithioester ω-terminus. The ω-dithioester group of each polymer chain could quantitatively be either removed with AIBN treatment or substituted with a PFP ester by using a modified diazo compound. As a consequence, a postmodifiaction of the telechelic reactive end groups was possible through a polymer analogous reaction with ...

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2009-09-02Macromolecules
https://doi.org/10.1021/ma901295f