Green Polymer Chemistry: II. Enzymatic Synthesis of Methacrylate‐Terminated Polyisobutylenes

Methacrylate‐terminated polyisobutylenes (PIB‐MAs) were synthesized by transesterification of vinyl methacrylate by hydroxyl‐terminated polyisobutylenes (PIB‐OH) using Candida antarctica lipase B (Novozyme 435) catalyst in hexane at 50 °C. PIBCH2CH2CH2OH and GlissopalOH, synthesized by anti‐Markovnikov hydrobromination of allyl‐terminated PIB and Glissopal®2300 followed by hydrolysis, were quantitatively converted into the corresponding PIB‐MAs. 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy verified the formation of the expected structures. This “green” chemistry is a very promising methodology for polymer functionalization in general, and biomaterial synthesis in particular. magnified image