Cyclic homo and block copolymers through sequential double click reactions

Abstract

AbstractWell‐defined linear α‐anthracene‐ω‐maleimide functionalized polystyrene (l‐Anth‐PS‐MI) and linear α‐alkyne‐ω‐maleimide functionalized poly(tert‐butyl acrylate) (l‐alkyne‐PtBA‐MI) homopolymers, and linear α‐anthracene‐ω‐maleimide functionalized PS‐b‐PtBA (l‐Anth‐PS‐b‐PtBA‐MI) and linear α‐anthracene‐ω‐maleimide functionalized PS‐b‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) (l‐Anth‐PS‐b‐PCL‐MI) block copolymers were obtained via combination of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP)/ring opening polymerization (ROP) and azide‐alkyne click reaction strategy. Subsequently, these linear homo and block copolymers were efficiently clicked via Diels‐Alder reaction to give their corresponding cyclic homo and block copolymers at reflux temperature of toluene for 48 h under 7–4 × 10−5 M conditions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010