Multiarm star triblock terpolymers via sequential double click reactions

Abstract

AbstractMultiarm star triblock terpolymers were obtained by using two different click reactions sequentially: Cu(I) catalyzed azide–alkyne and Diels–Alder. The synthetic strategy is described as follows: (poly(methyl methacrylate))n‐(polystyrene)m‐poly(divinyl benzene)) ((PMMA)n‐(PS)m‐polyDVB) multiarm star diblock copolymer was first obtained from an azide–alkyne click reaction of (alkyne‐PS)m‐polyDVB multiarm star polymer with α‐anthracene‐ω‐azide PMMA (anth‐PMMA‐N3), followed by a Diels–Alder click reaction of the anthracene groups at the star periphery with α‐maleimide poly (tert‐butyl acrylate) (PtBA‐MI) or α‐maleimide poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG‐MI) leading to target (PtBA)k‐(PMMA)n‐(PS)m‐polyDVB and (PEG)p‐(PMMA)n‐(PS)m‐polyDVB multiarm star triblock terpolymers. The hydrodynamic diameter of individual multiarm star triblock terpolymers were measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS) to be ∼24–27 nm in consistent with the atomic force microscopy (AFM) images on silicon substrates. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1557–1564, 2010