CONTROLLING SURFACES AND INTERFACES WITH FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS - PREPARATION AND FUNCTIONALIZATION OF DENDRITIC-LINEAR BLOCK-COPOLYMERS VIA METAL-CATALYZED LIVING FREE-RADICAL POLYMERIZATION

The preparation and chemical modification of dendritic-linear block co polymers with surface functionalized dendritic components are presente d. Isophthalate ester-functionalized dendrons featuring benzylic halid e groups at their focal points have been used for the metal catalyzed ''living'' radical polymerization of styrene. The molecular weight of the dendritic-linear block copolymers determined by MALDI-TOF and Size Exclusion Chromatography was found to be accurately controlled up to molecular weights of ca. 30,000 a.m.u., with polydispersities less tha n 1.2. Subsequent functional group modifications of the peripheral eth yl ester groups of the dendritic block have been successfully carried out leading to carboxylic acids, butyl amides, benzyl alcohols, benzyl halides, and also accelerated generation growth via transesterificati on with a first generation dendritic alcohol. Several of these new den dritic-linear block copolymers exhibit interesting aggregation charact eristics as evidenced by H-1-NMR spectroscopic studies. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.