SYNTHESIS OF P-METHOXYSTYRENE ISOBUTYL VINYL ETHER BLOCK COPOLYMERS BY LIVING CATIONIC POLYMERIZATION WITH IODINE

Optimum conditions for living cationic polymerization of p-methoxystyrene (pMOS) were established to allow a novel sequential block copolymer synthesis. Long-lived propagating species were obtained with iodine initiator at a low temperature (-15 ºC) in a nonpolar solvent (CC14) or in a polar solvent (CH2C12) containing a common ion salt ((n-C4H9)4NI), where the ionic dissociation of the growing end was suppressed. Under these conditions addition of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBVE) to a completely polymerized pMOS solution led to a new block copolymer, poly(pMOS-b-IBVE). Characterization of the block copolymer indicated that living poly(pMOS) in a nondissociated state is essential to effective block copolymerizations. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.