Synthesis of Star-Shaped Polymers via Coordination of Bipyridyl-Terminated Polyoxyethylene with Metal Ions

Abstract

This paper describes the synthesis of various star-shaped polymers by means of complexation of bipyridyl-terminated polyoxyethylene with Ru(II) ion. Three kinds of bipyridyl-terminated polyoxyethylenes of different molecular weights were prepared from the corresponding polyoxyethylene monomethyl ethers with narrow molecular weight distributions. Bipyridyl was found to be introduced quantitatively at the end of the polymers based on the results of UV spectra. The formation of a star-shaped polymer was carried out by the reaction of RuCl₃ with three equivalents of bipyridyl-terminated polyoxyethylene. The UV spectrum of the star-shaped polymer obtained supported the formation of a typical Ru(II) tris(bipyridyl) complex. From the results of GPC, the star-shaped polymer obtained had a higher molecular weight than the pre-polymer and showed a narrow molecular weight distribution. In the case of a Ni(II) or a Co(II) complex, however, the star-shaped polymer was found to be dissociated into three linear prepolymers under the conditions of GPC measurement.