Synthesis of Terpyridine-Terminated Polymers by Anionic

ABSTRACT: The synthesis of terpyridine-functionalized polystyrene was achieved by reacting 4′-chloro-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (terminating agent) with “living ” polymeric carbanions synthesized by anionic polymerization. The obtained polymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy. The conversion of the polystyryl-lithium species into the corresponding 1,1-diphenylalkyllithium chain ends by reaction with 1,1-diphenylethylene (DPE) was a necessary step in order to promote an efficient chain-end functionalization and to avoid undesired side reactions (coupling) between the polymer chains due to the high reactivity of the polystyryl anion. Moreover, the obtained well-defined terpyridine-terminated polystyrenes were used for the synthesis of self-assembled metallo-supramolecular block copolymers