A NOVEL METHOD FOR PREPARATION OF BLOCK-COPOLYMERS - SELECTIVE MULTISITE FUNCTIONALIZATION OF BLOCK-COPOLYMERS VIA METALATION AND REACTION WITH ELECTROPHILES

Nonpolar block copolymers may be selectively multisite substituted in only one block with various functional groups, like carboxyl, hydroxy, or alkyl groups. In this way, block copolymers with unusual structure s are easily accessible. The degree of substitution in the functionali zed blocks may be controlled in a wide range and copolymers with vario us concentrations of substituents arise. The procedure of functionaliz ation involves selective multisite metalation of the block copolymer b y Superbase, made from 3-(lithiomethyl)heptane and potassium tert-pent oxide, and subsequent reaction of the metalated copolymer with an elec trophile. Hydrophilic-hydrophobic block copolymers prepared by this me thod were investigated with regard to formation of micellar solutions in aqueous media.