[en] Nowadays, progresses in medicine, biotechnology, microelectronic and many other fields are more and more sustained by the development of novel polymer materials with constantly improved properties and well-defined molecular parameters. In this context, we designed an innovative and very promising tool for macromolecular engineering. This technique, called Isoprene-Assisted Radical Coupling (I-ARC), allows to couple quantitatively polymer chains preformed by Cobalt-Mediated Radical Polymerization (CMRP), an efficient controlled radical polymerization system for vinyl acetate (VAc) and acrylonitrile (AN). Typically, addition of isoprene to well-defined polymers prepared by CMRP invariably leads to the quantitative coupling reaction of the chains, as assessed by the perfect doubling of the molar mass of the polymer. Importantly, the I-ARC reaction is not limited to macromolecules with low molar masses and homopolymers, contrary to the previously reported radical chains coupling methods. Indeed, when applied to diblock copolymers, I-ARC constitutes a straightforward approach for the synthesis of telechelic symmetrical ABA triblock copolymers, as illustrated by the preparation of poly(vinyl acetate)-b-poly(acrylonitrile)-bpoly(vinyl acetate) triblock copolymers and their derivatives.
Research Center/Unit :
Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules (CERM)
Disciplines :
Materials science & engineering Chemistry
Author, co-author :
Debuigne, Antoine ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Department of Chemistry > Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules (CERM)
Jérôme, Christine ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Department of Chemistry > Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules (CERM)
Detrembleur, Christophe ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Department of Chemistry > Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules (CERM)
Language :
English
Title :
Unusual quantitative (co)polymer chain coupling reaction based on isoprene and cobalt complexes