A facile method for synthesis of well-defined ABA triblock copolymers, such
as poly(vinyl acetate-6-styrene-b-vinyl acetate), was investigated. The po
lymerization proceeds 'living' radical mechanism realized by macro-iniferte
r technique. The macro-iniferters were designed and synthesized by 'living'
radical polymerization of vinyl monomers utilizing diethyl 2,3-dicyano-2,3
-di(p-N,N-diethyldithio-carbamymethyl)phenylsuccinate (DDDCS) as a multi-fu
nctional iniferter, that is, under heating without ultra-violet (UV) light,
DDDCS serve as a thermal iniferter by thc reversible cleavage of the hexa-
substituted C-C bond, while under UV light irradiation at ambient temperatu
re, it serve as a photoiniferter by the reversible cleavage of the two diet
hyldithiocarbamyl (DC) functional groups. The polymers prepared via these t
wo processes bearing alpha- and omega -DC end groups are macro-iniferters.
The ABA triblock copolymers with different block components were easily syn
thesized via 'living' polymerization through these macro-iniferters, The fo
rmation of block copolymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatogr
aph, H-1 nuclear magnetic resonance and differential scanning calorimeter a
nalyses. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.