Poly(alkyl/arylphosphazenes) are inorganic-organic polymer systems with a phosphorus-nitrogen backbone having two organic groups directly attached by P-C linkages. These polymers are prepared by condensation polymerization of Si-N-P small molecule precursors that contain simple alkyl, aryl, and alkynyl groups already attached to the phosphorus. Once formed, these polymers are readily modified by post-modification reactions. For example, one-step deprotonation-substitution reactions at the methyl group have afforded new materials with silicon, fluorine, carbonyl, and hydroxyl groups, as well as anionically grafted polymer side chains. In this presentation we focus on post-polymerization modification reactions that enable the introduction of multiple azide or alkyl halide groups to the backbone. The products of the former modification were employed in copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne 'grafting-to' reactions with alkyne-capped poly(ethylene oxide), while those of the latter were used as macroinitiators for the low-catalyst concentration atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of vinyl monomers, such as di- tri- and oligo(ethylene oxide) methyl ether methacrylate. The synthesis and characterization of the novel graft copolymers with polyphosphazene backbones will be described. 

Modification of polyphosphazenes by copper-catalyzed reactions

247th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.