A SYNTHETIC ROUTE FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF STAR-SHAPED MACROMOLECULES

A multistep synthetic methodology for the synthesis of star-shaped mac romolecules is presented. The method relies on sequential anionic livi ng copolymerization, where divinyl-benzene is used as the linking agen t. A variety of star-shaped macromolecules such as star homopolymers, A(n), heteroarm star copolymers, A(n)B(n), star block copolymers, (AU) (n), and functionalized star-polymers can be produced. The synthesis c haracterization and some properties of such polymeric species are revi ewed and the advantages as well as the drawbacks of the method are dis cussed.