SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF OXYMETHYLENE-LINKED 2-VINYLPYRIDINEOXYETHYLENE MULTIBLOCK COPOLYMERS/

Oxymethylene-linked (2-vinylpyridine-oxyethylene) multiblock copolymer s were prepared by coupling telechelic alpha,omega-dihydroxypoly(2-vin ylpyridine) (THPVP) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), using dichlorometh ane as coupling agent and KOH as catalyst. THPVP was synthesized by po lymerization of 2-vinylpyridine in tetrahydrofuran/benzene using 1-met hylnaphthyllithium as anionic initiator, followed by capping with ethy lene oxide and termination by methanol. The effects of charging weight ratio of PEO/THPVP, copolymerization time and molecular weight of PEO or THPVP on the copolymerization were studied. The copolymers were ch aracterized by IR, H-1 NMR, membrane osmometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).