ALPHA,OMEGA-DICARBOXYL TELECHELIC POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE) VIA RADICAL ADDITION-FRAGMENTATION POLYMERIZATION

Catalytic chain transfer polymerization of benzyl methacrylate leads t o a mixture of poly(benzyl methacrylate) macromonomers. Benzyl methacr ylate dimer macromonomer has been isolated as a pure compound and used as a radical addition fragmentation chain transfer agent. This result s in poly(methyl methacrylate) with both alpha and omega terminal benz yl methacrylate units. Catalytic hydrogenation of alpha,omega-benzyl m ethacrylate terminal poly(methyl methacrylate) results in evolution of toluene and formation of alpha,omega-dicarboxyl functional telechelic poly(methyl methacrylate). The products have been fully characterized by matrix assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry in conjunction with H-1 and C-13 n.m.r. spectroscopy. (C) 1998 Elsevie r Science Ltd. All rights reserved.