Toward an easy access to dendrimer-like poly(ethylene oxide)s

J Am Chem Soc. 2005 Aug 10;127(31):10956-66. doi: 10.1021/ja0509432.

Abstract

Dendrimer-like poly(ethylene oxide)s (PEOs) were synthesized by an iterative divergent approach combining anionic polymerization of ethylene oxide from multi-hydroxylated precursors and branching reactions of PEO chain ends. Partial deprotonation of the hydroxyls (< 30%) and use of dimethyl sulfoxide as solvent proved crucial for a "controlled/living" polymerization of ethylene oxide at room temperature. These sequences of reactions allowed us to prepare a dendrimer-like PEO up to the eighth generation with a molar mass of 900 000 g mol(-1) and 384 external hydroxyl functions. All samples from generation 1 to 8 were characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy, light scattering, and viscometry. The evolution of the intrinsic viscosity versus the generation number of these dendrimer-like PEO is similar to that of regular dendrimers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Models, Molecular
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemical synthesis
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry*

Substances

  • Polyethylene Glycols