Poly(glycidyl methacrylate): a highly versatile polymeric building block for post-polymerization modificationsElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: 1H-NMR spectra of the synthesized RAFT agent and polymers; FT-IR spectra of PGMA and PHMPMA polymers and of the PHMPMA-co-PHAPMA random copolymer. See DOI: 10.1039/c2py20646c

The treatment of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) with nucleophilic agents yielded new linear homo/co-polymers. The materials obtained have different physicochemical properties depending upon the nucleophiles utilized and thus, by this way, water soluble polymers are easily accessible. This approach is also very convenient for the synthesis of amphiphilic block copolymers. Additional chemical modifications can further transform the obtained polymers after the post-polymerization treatment. Starting from RAFT pre-synthesized/pre-functionalized polymers, the described procedures allow us to obtain a wide variety of chemically diverse materials characterized by controlled structure and specific functions. Post-polymerization modifications of PGMA for obtaining new linear homo/copolymers characterized by a high degree of functionalization and capable of spatial self-organization.