LIVING ANIONIC-POLYMERIZATION OF HYDROXYS TYRENE DERIVATIVES

Living anionic polymerization and block copolymerization of 4-methoxym ethoxystyrene (MMS) and 4-methoxystyrene (MS) were studied in order to prepare poly(4-hydroxystyrene) having controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution. The objective precursors,poly(M MS) and poly(MS), could be obtained by the polymerization using sec-bu tyllithium as an initiator in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at 195 K. Both the monomers were found to copolymerize anionically with styrene under th e same conditions. Quantitative elimination of methoxymethyl group wit h hydrochloric acid in THF and that of methyl group with trimethylsily l iodide in chloroform gave poly(4-hydroxystyrene)s, showing that meth oxymethyl and methyl groups can be efficiently used for protection of hydroxyl group in the anionic polymerization process as well as tert-b utyldimethylsilyl and tert-butyl groups.