Amphiphilic Norbornene-Based Diblock Copolymers Containing Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane Prepared by Living Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization

We report the successful synthesis of poly(NBECOOH-b-NBEPOSS) copolymers, taking advantage of the sequential, living ring opening metathesis polymerization of NBETMS and NBEPOSS using the $RuCl_2(=CHPh)(PCY_3)_2$/$CH_2Cl_2$/$20^{\circ}C$ system, followed by the hydrolysis of trimethylsilyl groups in poly(NBETMS-b-NBEPOSS) copolymers. The living behavior of ROMP of NBETMS was first investigated using two diagnostic plots, a first order kinetic plot and a $\bar{M}_n$ vs. conversion plot. The plots confirmed that no termination and chain transfer reaction had occurred during polymerization. Poly(NBECOOH-b-NBEPOSS) copolymers were prepared using the sequential monomer addition of NBEPOSS to living poly(NBETMS) chain ends, followed by the hydrolysis of trimethylsilyl groups in the poly(NBETMS-b-NBEPOSS) copolymers. The high structural integrity of poly(NBE-COOH-b-NBEPOSS) copolymers was confirmed by $^1H$-NMR, $^{13}C$-NMR spcctroscopy and GPC.