Preparation of PMMA-PS-PMMA via combination of anionic and photoinduced charge-transfer polymerization

PMMA-PS-PMMA triblock copolymers were prepared lay the combination of an an ionic mechanism with charge-transfer polymerization. Polystyrene with aroma tic tertiary amino groups at both ends (PSba) was synthesized first by the reaction of a living polystyrene macrodianion with excess p-(dimethylamino) benzaldehyde; then, the PSba was constituted into a binary system with benz ophenone (BP) to initiate the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) u nder UV irradiation. The intermediate and resulting block copolymers were c haracterized by GPC, IR, and H-1-NMR. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.