Preparation of branched polystyrene via atom transfer radical polymerisation using diene with electron-rich double bond

ABSTRACT

Self-designed bis(4-vinylbenzyl)-oxalate (DBE) was synthesized successfully. The branched polystyrene was prepared by using an atom transfer radical polymerization method with copper bromide (CuBr)/2,2'-bipyridine (Bpy) as a catalyst, the DBE as a branched monomer and tert-butyl α-bromoisobutyrate (t-BBiB) as an initiator. The structure of the synthesized branched monomer was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The conversion of monomer during the polymerization was measured by gas chromatography (GC) while the molecular weight, molecular weight distribution and degree of branching of the polystyrene were characterized by three-detection volume exclusion chromatography (TD-SEC). The results show that bis(4-vinylbenzyl)-oxalate with electron-rich double bond and styrene with electron-rich double bond can be successfully obtained branched polystyrene. The branched structure developed as the reaction proceeded. At the same time, the molecular weight of the branched polystyrene gradually increased as the reaction progressed, and the molecular weight distribution widened consistent with the increased degree of branching.

KEYWORDS:

• Branched polymer
• atom transfer radical polymerisation
• styrene
• diene
• electron–rich double bond

Acknowledgments

The National Natural Science Foundation of China (21504009), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions of China (15KJB150002), a Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions and the Program of Innovative Research Team of Changzhou University (ZMF19020310) and 2020 Jiangsu Province Scientific Research and Practice Innovation Program Project (No. KYCX20_2530) supported this work and all the above support is gratefully acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

.The National Natural Science Foundation of China (21504009), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions of China (15KJB150002), 2020 Jiangsu Province Scientific Research and Practice Innovation Program Project (No. KYCX20_2530), the Youth Foundation of Jiang Province (BK20190932), the Program of Innovative Research Team of Changzhou University (ZMF19020310) and  a Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions