SYNTHESIS OF A HEXYL METHACRYLATE-TERMINATED DISACCHARIDE MONOMER AND STUDY OF ITS RADICALLY INITIATED HOMOPOLYMERIZATION AND COPOLYMERIZATION WITH STYRENE

A new disaccharide monomer, 6(-methacryloxyloxy)hexyl beta-D-cellobioside (CHMA, 7h), was prepared through a five-step procedure (starting from cellobiose), in which the glycosylation and esterification reactions have been optimized. Kinetics of radical homopolymerization in dimethyl sulfoxide solution were studied through H-1 NMR, allowing the determination of the parameter k(p)/k(t)1/2. Copolymerizations with styrene (S) were also investigated, giving the reactivity ratios r(S) = 0,64 and r(M) = 0,08. Characterization of the various (co)polymers in terms of composition, microstructure and molecular weight was carried out using H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy and gel-permeation chromatography in tetrahydrofuran, respectively. A preferential syndiotactic configuration was clearly evidenced in the homopolymer.