POLYSTYRENE-BLOCK-POLY(2-CINNAMOYLETHYL METHACRYLATE) TADPOLE MOLECULES

In THF/cyclopentane (CP) or THF/cyclohexane (CH) mixtures with suffici ently high CP or CH contents, polystyrene-block-poly(2-cinnamoylethyl metharylate) (PS-b-PCEMA) forms micelles with PCEMA as the core. Coexi sting with the micelles are unimer chains. The unimers are expected to have the tadpole conformation with the PS block assuming the normal r andom-coil conformation and the PCEMA block clustering together like a globule. Photo-cross-linking the PCEMA globule of the unimers enabled our first preparation of permanent tadpole molecules from diblock cop olymers. The tadpole conformation has been confirmed by our GPC, light scattering, and NMR study.