Synthesis and characterisation of highly branched polyisoprene: exploiting the "Strathclyde route" in anionic polymerisation.

ABSTRACT: This work aimed at developing a synthetic route towards highly branched poly(isoprene) from commercially available raw materials, in good yield and devoid of microgelation, i.e., to prepare a completely soluble polymer via the versatile technique anionic polymerisation. The polymerisations were conducted under high vacuum conditions using sec-butyllithium as initiator at 50 °C in toluene. Toluene served both as a solvent and as a chain-transfer agent. The polar modifier used was tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA), and a commercial mixture of divinylbenzene (DVB) was employed as the branching agent for the "living" poly(isoprenyl)lithium anions. The nature of the reaction was studied on the TMEDA/Li ratio as well as the DVB/Li ratio. The obtained branched polymers were

SUBMITTER: Habibu S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9079075 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature