Synthesis and characterization of amphiphilc block copolymer poly(methyl acrylic acid)-block-polytetrahydrofuran

Under the specially designated condition the polymerization of both tetrahydrofuran (THF) andtert-butyl methacrylate (tBMA) is a living one. The diblock copolymer, poly(tert-butyl methacrylate)-block-polytetrahydrofuran (PtBMA-b-PTHF), was successfully synthesized by means of the coupling reaction of living cationic PTHF⁺, SbF₆ with living anionic PtBMA^-, Li⁺. LiCI, which has a beneficial effect on the molecular weight distribution (MWD) in the anionic polymerization of (meth)acrylates, hinders the coupling reaction of living chains and cannot be used in the preparation of tBMA precursor. The hydrolysis of the aforementioned diblock copolymer under acid condition results in the amphiphilic diblock copolymer, i.e. poly(methy1 acrylic acid)-block-polytetrahydrofuran (PMAA-b-PTHF). The diblock copolymers were characterized with GPC and IR.