Novel amphiphilic homopolymers containing meta- and para-pyridine moieties with living characteristics and their self-assembly

ABSTRACT Amphiphilic monomers containing the isomeric pyridine moieties 3‐(4‐vinylphenyl)pyridine (3VPPy) and 4‐(4‐vinylphenyl)pyridine (4VPPy) were synthesized using the Suzuki coupling reaction. A living anionic polymerization of 3VPPy and 4VPPy was successfully performed under various conditions to overcome the limitations of anionic polymerization and to compare their properties with those of poly(2‐(4‐vinylphenyl)pyridine) as reported previously. Several characteristics of the resulting isomeric P3VPPy and P4VPPy were studied, such as thermal stability, solubility, and the living nature. The block copolymerization of 4VPPy with 2‐vinylpyridine and MMA was carried out without additive to estimate the nucleophilicity of P4VPPy and to confirm its living nature. Additionally, each amphiphilic homopolymer of P3VPPy and P4VPPy containing both a hydrophilic pyridine unit and a hydrophobic styrene unit was tested for self‐assembly behavior in a mixed solvent (THF/water) and monitored with TEM and SEM. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 3458–3469 Amphiphilic monomers containing the isomeric pyridine moieties 3‐(4‐vinylphenyl)pyridine (3VPPy) and 4‐(4‐vinylphenyl)pyridine (4VPPy) were synthesized and a living anionic polymerization of 3VPPy and 4VPPy was successfully performed under various conditions. Additionally, each amphiphilic homopolymer of P3VPPy and P4VPPy containing both a hydrophilic pyridine unit and a hydrophobic styrene unit was tested for self‐assembly behavior in a mixed solvent (THF/water) and monitored with TEM and SEM.