Photocleavable Triblock Copolymers Featuring an Activated Ester Middle Block: “One-Step” Synthesis and Application as Locally Reactive Nanoporous Thin Films

Polystyrene- block -poly(maleimide pentafluorophenyl ester- co -styrene)- block -poly(ethylene oxide) with an o -nitrobenzyl ester junction was synthesized by “one-step” RAFT polymerization. Highly ordered and locally reactive nanoporous thin films were obtained from the photocleavable triblock copolymer after spin coating, solvent annealing, UV exposure, and washing with methanol/water to remove the minor block PEO. The local reactivity in the thin films was demonstrated by fabrication of iron oxide nanotori after post-modification with an amino-functionalized ferrocene and treatment with oxygen plasma.