Monomeric and polymeric azoinitiators

The reaction of ethylene glycol, 1,4‐butanediol, 1,6‐hexanediol, 3,6‐dioxaoctane‐1,8‐diol (triethylene glycol), poly(ethylene oxide)s with M̄n = 300,1000 and 3000, or with poly(propylene oxide)s with M̄n = 425 and 2000 in excess with AIBN leads to the corresponding bis(hydroxyalkyl) 2,2′‐azodiisobutyrates (1a–i). These initiators are suited to synthesize telechelics. With equimolar amounts of AIBN and 3‐oxapentane‐1,5‐diol (diethylene glycol), poly(ethylene oxide)s with M̄n = 300, 1000 and 12000, poly(propylene oxide) with M̄n = 425, or with poly(tetrahydrofuran) with M̄n = 1000 and 2000 polymeric azoinitiators of structure 2 are formed. Blockcopolymers may be synthesized by means of these polymeric azocompounds.