Synthesis of graft copolymers by ring-opening polymerization of 2-nonyl-and 2-phenyl-2-oxazoline initiated by macroinitiators containing benzylchloride functions

Graft copolymers with poly(2-nonyl-2-oxazoline) and poly(2-phenyl-2-oxazoline) graft arms have been synthesized using the "grafting from" method. Slightly branched statistical copolymers of isobutene and (m,p)-chloromethylstyrene, synthesized cationically, as well as linear homo-poly((m,p)-chloromethylstyrene) have been used as macroinitiators for the ring-opening polymerization of the substituted oxazolines. The graft copolymerizations were carried out in bulk and in benzonitrile solutions with and without addition of potassium iodide. The influence of the reaction conditions on the rate of polymerization and the different reactivities of 2-nonyl-2-oxazoline and 2-phenyl-2-oxazoline were discussed. Received: 26 February 1997/Revised: 26 March 1997/Accepted: 14 April 1997