PDMAEMA from α to ω chain ends: tools for elucidating the structure of poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)

Abstract

Poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) is currently used for a wide range of applications, often involving the synthesis of block copolymers. Here, an in-depth characterization of PDMAEMA prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is reported, with a focus on end group analysis. The structure of the polymer was elucidated by one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, which assessed the presence of deactivated chains and allowed for a quantification of their fraction. Detailed characterization by MALDI-TOF MS further provided insightful information about the chain end fidelity. On this basis, termination by disproportionation was found to be the main mechanism for the loss of active chain ends. The detailed characterization allowed for an estimation of the preserved chain end functionality (CEF) of PDMAEMA. Additionally, a chain extension experiment was conducted, using PDMAEMA as a macroinitiator for the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) by ATRP. The results of chain extension supported the estimation of CEF based on the data provided by NMR and MS. Although assessing the degree of polymerization of a block copolymer proves challenging when the amount of the initial block able to act as a macroinitiator is not known a priori, an accurate estimation of the DP and M_n of the obtained block copolymer was possible by total nitrogen analysis. The tools here provided for the characterization of PDMAEMA and its block copolymer architectures allow the obtainment of essential information about the extent of control over the homo- and copolymerization. Therefore, they are of high importance when well-defined structures are aimed for.