SYNTHESIS OF TETRAHYDROFURAN STYRENE (OR METHYL-METHACRYLATE) BLOCK COPOLYMERS VIA CATIONIC-TO-RADICAL TRANSFORMATION

Tetrahydrofuran-styrene and tetrahydrofuran-(methyl methacrylate) block copolymers were prepared by cationic-to-radical transformation in two steps. Living polytetrahydrofuran, prepared cationically using photo-initiation by phenylazotriphenyl methane and diphenyliodonium hexaflorophosphate, was inactivated by the sodium salt of cumene hydroperoxide to obtain polytetrahydrofuran possessing thermally labile terminal groups. These polymers were then used to initiate the polymerization of styrene at 80-degrees. Characterization of the block copolymers was carried out by spectroscopic and chemical methods.