Synthesis of polymers with phosphonium end groups by atom transfer radical polymerization

The end groups of polymers prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), are well-defined and determined by the initiator used, at least one of them is a halogen end group. The halogen end groups can be transformed to other functionalities such as phosphonium salts as demonstrated in this paper. Kinetic studies with the compounds l-phenylethyl bromide and methyl 2-bromopropionate, models for the polystyrene and polyacrylate chain ends respectively, indicated that bromine end groups were readily transformed to phosphonium end groups upon the addition of phosphines. Stability tests with the obtained phosphonium salts showed that 1-phenylethyl trialkylphosphonium bromide was stable, even at higher temperatures and in the presence of free phosphines. The stability of the propionate analogue was limited due to the presence of the ester group in the molecule. Polystyrene and poly(methyl acrylate) phosphonium salts were synthesized and the presence of the end groups was demonstrated by H-1 NMR and ESI-MS or MALDI-TOFMS.