Tailoring molecular weight distribution via polymer degradability

Abstract

An alternative approach for controlling the polymer molecular weight distribution (MWD) was developed based on the degradation of precisely synthesized degradable long-chain polymers. The long-chain mother polymer was prepared via living cascade enyne metathesis polymerization and programmed monomer addition, and molecular-weight-controlled daughter polymers were obtained by degradation. We controlled the average molecular weight (M_n) and MWD at the targeted M_n by varying the degradable-to-nondegradable monomer feed ratio and employing programmed monomer addition, respectively.