Synthesis and characterization of alkoxy derivatives with double-headed initiators for the preparation of poly(ε-caprolactone)-β-polyacrylonitrile (PCL-β-PAN) and poly(L-lactide)-β-polyacrylonitrile (PLLA-β-PAN) copolymers

The synthesis of simple single source molecular precursor based on metal alkoxides of the type, [(MMPEP)Al(mu-OBnCH2Cl)](2) (1), [(MMPEP-H)Li center dot(BnOH)](2) (2) and [(MMPEP-H)Li center dot (HOB-nCH(2)Cl)](2) (3) has been reported herein. Complex 1 was prepared by the reaction of [(MMPEP)Al(CH3)(Et2O)] with p-(chloromethyl) benzyl alcohol. The reaction of 2,2'-methylene-bis(4,6-di(1-methyl-1-phenylethyl)phenol) (MMPEP-H-2) with (BuLi)-Bu-n, BnOH or p-(chloromethyl) benzyl alcohol was added to give complexes 2 and 3, respectively. Among them, only complex 1 shows excellent catalytic properties towards ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of epsilon-caprolactone. However, complexes 2 and 3 are active for ROP of L-lactide only. Block copolymers of poly(epsilon-caprolactone)-beta-polyacrylonitrile and poly(L-lactide)-beta-polyacrylonitrile were synthesized by using a technique known as atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and the ring opening polymerization (ROP). TEM micrograph of PCL-beta-PAN shows the microphase property with the help of self-assembly. (C) 2011 Production and hosting by Elsevier B. V. on behalf of King Saud University.