SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POLYSILABUTANE HAVING OLIGO(OXYETHYLENE)PHENYL GROUPS ON THE SILICON ATOM

A new class of polar polysilabutanes with mono- or tri-(oxyethylene) p henyl groups on the silicon atom have been synthesized by anionic poly merization of silacyclobutanes having omega-(t-butyldimethylsilyl-prot ected) mono-or tri-(oxyethylene)phenyl groups and subsequent deprotect ion of the silyl groups. The monomers were synthesized by treatment of I,1-dichlorosilacyclobutane with omega-(t-butyldimethylsilyl-protecte d) mono-or tri-(oxyethylene) phenyl Grignard reagents. Anionic polymer ization of silacyclobutane was performed with butyllithium initiator i n THF. t-Butyldimethylsilyl-protecting groups at polymer pendant group s were hydrolyzed with tetrabutyl ammonium fluoride in water-containin g THF. The obtained polysilabutanes were soluble in a polar organic so lvent such as methanol, and their mass distributions were analysed by matrix-assisted laser-desorption-ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI T OF MS). (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.