POLY(ETHYLENE OXIDE) MACROMONOMERS .8. PREPARATION AND POLYMERIZATION OF OMEGA-HYDROXYPOLY(ETHYLENE OXIDE) MACROMONOMERS

The potassium alkoxide (3) of tert-butyldimethylsilyl ether of ethylene glycol successfully initiated a living polymerization of ethylene oxide to a controlled degree of polymerization with a narrow distribution. End-capping with p-vinylbenzyl chloride and methacryloyl chloride, followed by desilylation with tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride afforded the corresponding omega-hydroxypoly(ethylene oxide) macromonomers (la and 2a). The radical copolymerization of the macromonomers with styrene and their homopolymerization in benzene have revealed reactivities similar to those of the corresponding omega-methoxy derivatives. Micellar polymerization in water, however, occurred more rapidly to give an apparently simpler, starlike polymer with a number of hydrophilic, poly(ethylene oxide) arms with omega-hydroxy end groups.