Synthesis and characterization of complexible-terminated polystyrene by TEMPO

TEMPO-PYBOX was synthesized by reaction of 4-chloro-2,6-bis(oxazolines)-pyridine (4-chloro-PYBOX) with 4-hydroxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidinooxy (HTEMPO) and applied as a free radical trapper to controlled-synthesize complexible-terminated PS-TEMPO-PYBOX with well-defined structure by nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization. The coordination properties of the complexible-terminated polystyrene and its fluorescent properties in the emission spectra were studied using Eu³⁺ as a coordination ion. In addition, an amphiphilic polymer, polystyrene-poly(ethylene glycol) metallo-supramolecular block copolymer, was synthesized by the coordination between rare earth ion coordinated poly(ethylene glycol) with PYBOX-terminated polystyrene. The structures of small molecule intermediates and polymers were characterized by ¹H-NMR and IR. The results revealed that coordination polymer bearing high coordination number of Eu³⁺ emitted stronger fluorescence, and this synthesized polymer was complexible and thus a potential material in supramolecular construction.