Para-Fluoro/thiol click chemistry-driven pentafluorostyrene-based block copolymer self-assembly: to mimic or not to mimic the solubility parameter?. Issue 33 (10th August 2022) - Mandal, Prithwiraj
Abstract : This investigation reports the controlled transition from disordered/nano-segregated poly(styrene- b -pentafluorostyrene) (PS- b -PPFS)-based block copolymers after a subsequent para -fluoro/thiol click reaction with different functional thiol agents. Abstract : A block copolymer (BCP) consisting of polystyrene (PS) and polypentafluorostyrene (PPFS) blocks is synthesized by nitroxide mediated polymerization (NMP). Then nucleophilic substitution of the labile para -fluorine atom onto the PPFS platform is performed by an organo-catalyzed reaction at ambient temperature using the para -fluoro/thiol click reaction. It is observed that the effect of the substitute chemical nature induces a drastic tuning of the nano-structuration of the block copolymer. Indeed, the para -fluoro/thiol click reaction leads to PS- b -modified PPFS block copolymers with solubility parameter control and drives an order/disorder transition.