NEAR-MONODISPERSE, N-ALKYL, END-FUNCTIONALIZED POLY(METHYL VINYL ETHER)S - SYNTHESIS BY LIVING CATIONIC POLYMERIZATION AND SOLUTION CHARACTERIZATION

Water-soluble amphiphilic diblock copolymers were synthesized by the l iving cationic polymerization of methyl vinyl ether (hydrophilic block ) and its subsequent termination with n-alcohols of chain lengths vary ing from one to eight, and three n-alkyl carboxylic acids with 10, 12, and 18 carbon atoms. Additionally, water and ethylene glycol were tes ted as terminating agents. The extent of the functionalization was det ermined using H-1 NMR spectroscopy. The cloud points of 1% w/w aqueous solutions of the polymers as determined by turbidimetry decreased fro m 32 to 21 degrees C as the number of carbon atoms of the terminating agent increased. Aqueous GPC revealed micellization of the stearic aci d-terminated block. copolymer, while the other block copolymers existe d mainly as unimers. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.