Polyethylene-Based Tadpole Copolymers

Novel well-defined polyethylene-based tadpole copolymers ((c-PE)-b-PS, PE: polyethylene, PS: polystyrene) with ring PE head and linear PS tail are synthesized by combining polyhomologation, atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), and Glaser coupling reaction. The -OH groups of the 3-miktoarm star copolymers (PE-OH)-b-PS, synthesized by polyhomologation and ATRP, are transformed to alkyne groups by esterification with propiolic acid, followed by Glaser cyclization and removal of the unreacted linear with Merrifield's resin-azide. The characterization results of intermediates and final products by high-temperature size exclusion chromatography, H NMR spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry confirm the tadpole topology.