Novel hydrophilic–hydrophilic block copolymers based on poly(vinyl alcohol)

Abstract

Novel, near-monodisperse poly(methyl vinyl ether–block–vinyl alcohol) copolymers are synthesised using living cationic polymerisation where the vinyl alcohol groups were protected using benzyl groups which were subsequently removed by catalytic hydrogenolysis under mild conditions; the resulting hydrophilic–hydrophilic block copolymers are water-soluble at room temperature and form micelles at temperature and form micelles at temperatures above the cloud-point of the poly(methyl vinyl ether) block (ca 29 °C).