Facile syntheses of cylindrical molecular brushes by a sequential RAFT and ROMP “grafting‐through” methodology

Abstract

The orthogonality of RAFT and ROMP chemistries are exploited for a highly efficient “grafting through” strategy to afford cylindrical molecular brushes. The ROMP of α-norbornenyl-functionalized poly(t-butyl acrylate) macroRAFT chain transfer agents, catalyzed by a modified 2nd generation Grubbs' catalyst, achieved completion in minutes under air. Following hydrolysis, functionalizable water-soluble poly(acrylic acid) molecular brushes were afforded. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at www.interscience.wiley.com.]