Star‐shaped siloxane polymers with various cyclic cores: Synthesis and properties

ABSTRACT Six new star‐shaped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with various cyclic siloxane cores were synthesized by the “grafting onto” method. The polymers obtained feature low dispersity and well‐defined structures. Two of them, Q 8‐PDMS and D 12‐PDMS, have a three‐dimensional spatial structure traditional for star‐shaped polymers where the arms are arranged in all directions from the branching center. The other four polymers, D 4‐PDMS–D 8‐PDMS, have quite a different spatial geometry (cis‐structure) where all the PDMS‐arms are arranged on one side of the branching center plane. Such star‐shaped structures were not reported before. The structures and purity of the polymers obtained were confirmed using a set of physicochemical methods of analysis. The effect of the macromolecule structure on the properties of the target polymers was identified. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 Six new star‐shaped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with various cyclic siloxane cores were synthesized. Two of them have the three‐dimensional spatial structure traditional for star‐shaped polymers where the arms are arranged in all directions from the branching center. The other four polymers have quite a different spatial geometry (cis‐structure) where all the PDMS arms are arranged on one side of the branching center plane. Such star‐shaped structures were not reported before.