(Co)Polymerization of vinyl levulinate by cobalt-mediated radical polymerization and functionalization by ketoxime click chemistry†
Abstract
Vinyl levulinate is synthesized from levulinic acid by palladium-catalyzed vinyl exchange and is characterized by NMR and ESI-HRMS techniques. Homopolymerization of vinyl levulinate and random copolymerization with vinyl acetate by cobalt-mediated radical polymerization affords well-defined ketone functionalized poly(vinyl ester)s. The impact of temperature, solvent and theoretical degree of polymerization on monomer conversion and control of the polymerization is studied by 1H NMR and size exclusion chromatography techniques. The ketoxime conjugation of O-benzylhydroxylamine with the pendant ketone functionality of poly(vinyl levulinate-co-vinyl acetate) is demonstrated.