Polyallene-based graft copolymer via 6-methyl-1,2-heptadien-4-ol and methyl methacrylate

A series of well-defined graf:: copolymers with a polyallene-based backbone and poly(methyl methacrylate) side chains were synthesized by the combination of living coordination polymerization of 6-methyl- 1,2-heptadien-4-ol and atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate. We first prepared poly(alcohol) with polyallene repeating units via 6-methyl-1,2-heptadien-4-ol by living coordination polymerization initiated by [(eta(3)-allyl)NiOCOCF3](2), followed by transforming the pendant hydroxyl groups into halogen-containing ATRP initiation groups. Next, grafting-from route was used for the synthesis of the well-defined graft copolymer with excellent solubility: poly(methyl methacrylate) was grafted to the backbone via ATRP of methyl methacrylate. This kind of graft copolymer is the first example of graft copolymer via allene derivative and methacrylic monomer. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.