Synthesis of coil-rod-coil block copolymers with the aid of anionic polymerization

A two step synthetic procedure towards model coil-rod-coil triblock copolym ers was developed. In the first step, a omega -bromo-functionalized oligoph enylenes (rod part) were modified to anionic bifunctional initiators. In th e second step, flexible chains were grown from both ends of the rod part by an anionic polymerization procedure leading to polystyrene-rod-polystyrene and/or poly(2-vinyl pyridine)-rod-poly(2-vinyl pyridine) triblock copolyme rs. Characterization of the final products by gel permeation chromatography , NMR spectroscopy light scattering. Raman spectroscopy and differential sc anning calorimetry demonstrated that well-defined coil-rod-coilblock copoly mers can be synthesized.