ENDFUNCTIONAL POLYMERS BY FUNCTIONALIZATION OF LIVING CATIONIC CHAIN-ENDS WITH 1,1-DIPHENYLETHYLENE

A new functionalization method has been developed for the synthesis of 2,2-diphenylvinyl(DPV)-telechelic polyisobutylene (PIE). First, living carbocationic polymerization (LCCP) of isobutylene (IB) is quantitatively end-quenched with a nonpolymerizable olefin, 1,1-diphenylethylene (DPE). This process yields a mixture of diphenyl substituted vinyl and tertiary chlorine endgroups. Treatment of the resulting polymer with potassium-tert-butoxide (tBuOK) leads to the quantitative formation of DPV-telechelic PIE which is a potential macroinitiator precursor for living anionic polymerizations.