Synthesis of photocleavable poly(methyl methacrylate‐block‐d‐lactide) via atom‐transfer radical polymerization and ring‐opening polymerization. Issue 20 (10th July 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Hong; Rathi, Sahas; Sterner, Elizabeth S.; Zhao, Hui; Ling Hsu, Shaw; Theato, Patrick; Zhang, Yongming; Coughlin, E. Bryan
• Is Part Of: Journal of polymer science. Volume 51:Issue 20(2013:Oct.)
• Page Start: 4309
• Page End: 4316
• Publication Date: 2013-07-10
• Subjects: 547
• DOI: 10.1002/pola.26840
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0887-624X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <p>The synthesis and characterization of a photocleavable block copolymer containing an <italic>ortho‐</italic>nitrobenzyl (ONB) linker between poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(<sc>d</sc>‐lactide) blocks is presented here. The block copolymers were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of MMA followed by ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of <sc>d</sc>‐Lactide and ROP of <sc>d</sc>‐lactide followed by ATRP of MMA from a difunctional photoresponsive ONB initiator, respectively. The challenges and limitations during synthesis of the photocleavable block copolymers using the difunctional photoresponsive ONB initiator are discussed. The photocleavage of the copolymers occurs under mild conditions by simple irradiation with 302 nm wavelength UV light (Relative intensity at 7.6 cm: 1500 μW/cm²) for several hours. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 4309–4316</p> </abstract>