Functionalized Thermo‐Responsive Poly(vinyl ether) by Living Cationic Random Copolymerization of Methyl Vinyl Ether and 2‐Chloroethyl Vinyl Ether

Abstract

Abstract The living cationic random copolymerization of MVE and CEVE to obtain functionalized thermo‐responsive PMVE as precursors for more complex PMVE‐containing polymer structures is reported. The random copolymers P(MVE‐ co ‐CEVE) were synthesized at 0 °C in toluene using the DEE/TMSI/ZnI 2 initiating system. The monomer reactivity ratios of these copolymers are determined according to the extended Kelen‐Tüdõs procedure: r CEVE = 0.48 ± 0.04 and r MVE = 0.76 ± 0.05. The cloud point temperatures of the random copolymers are found to depend strongly on the composition of the copolymer and disappeared at CEVE contents above 3 mol‐%. magnified image