Although living polymerization methods are widely applicable to organic monomers, their application to inorganic monomers is rare. A series of poly(methylenephosphine)s and polystyrene-block- poly(methylenephosphine) with narrow dispersity were synthesized by living anionic polymerization. The phosphaalkene, MesP=CPh2, and styrene can be sequentially copolymerized using n-Buli initiator in toluene and THF solvent system. Analysis by GPC-MALS-V showed that all samples were monodisperse, displayed narrow dispersities (Mw/Mn = 1.03–1.29), and generally had molecular weights within ±(2–26%) of those targeted from the monomer-to-initiator ratios. All homo- and co-polymers displayed a single Tg in their DSC chromatograms with the transition temperature for the copolymers being in between those of the corresponding homopolymers. These transitions appear to be dependent on both the copolymer composition and the corresponding chain lengths. A model compound study using CH2=CPh2 as the electrophile was conducted to gain further insight into the reaction mechanism.

Diblock copolymers from the sequential living anionic copolymerization a phosphaalkene with styrene

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

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