Novel amphiphilic block copolymers by polymer reactions and their use for solubilization of metal salts and metal colloids

A variety of amphiphilic blockcopolymers (ABC's) are made by using two highly effective polymer analogous reactions, epoxidation followed by opening of the oxirane ring, The optimization of all reaction conditions results in functional polymers which are practically as narrowly distributed as their precursor polymers, and which can be used as model polymers. In ease of polar modification, all amphiphilic block copolymers form well-defined micelles in toluene, the size of which can be adjusted by the type of modification. The adjustment of the amphiphilicity with diverse nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphonate derivatives results in polymeric amphiphiles with a high affinity to transition metal ions, as well as metal colloids and surfaces. This is demonstrated by solubilization of metal salts in unpolar solvents by the ABC's and subsequent formation of well-defined noble metal colloids which are-in the case of a careful adaption of the polymer to the metal surface-perfectly stabilized by the corona polymers.