RAFT‐Based Synthesis and Characterization of ABC versus ACB Triblock Copolymers Containing tert‐Butyl Acrylate, Isoprene, and Styrene Blocks

The syntheses of the ABC and ACB triblock copolymer topological isomers poly( tert ‐butyl acrylate)‐ block ‐polyisoprene‐ block ‐polystyrene (ABC) and poly( tert ‐butyl acrylate)‐ block ‐polystyrene‐ block ‐polyisoprene (ACB) using the RAFT‐controlled radical polymerization method are described. The triblock copolymers were isolated with molecular weights on the order of 20 000 Da and molecular weight distributions of 1.3–1.5. The polymers described herein demonstrated thermal decompositions at 200 °C, characteristic of tert ‐butyl esters, and their structure and composition were confirmed by a combination of infrared, 1 H, and 13 C NMR spectroscopies. magnified image