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Two functional monomers, methacrylic acid 4‐(2‐benzoxazol)‐benzyl ester (MABE) containing the benzoxazole group and 4‐(2‐(9‐anthryl))‐vinyl‐styrene (AVS) containing the anthracene group were synthesized by rational design. The MABE was polymerized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using ethyl 2‐bromoisobutyrate (EBIB) as initiator in CuBr/N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) catalyst system; block copolymers poly(MABE‐b‐AVS) was obtained, which was conducted by using poly(MABE) as macro‐initiator, AVS as the second monomer, and CuBr/PMDETA as catalyst. The constitute of two monomers in block copolymers poly(MABE‐b‐AVS) by ATRP could be adjusted, that is the constitute of the benzoxazole group and the anthracene group could be controlled in AB‐type block copolymers. Moreover, the fluorescent properties of homopolymers poly(MABE) and block copolymers poly(MABE‐b‐AVS) were discussed herein. With the excitation at λex = 330 nm, the fluorescent emission spectrum of poly(MABE) solution showed emission at 375 nm corresponding to the benzoxazole‐based part; with the same excitation, the fluorescent emission spectrum of poly(MABE‐b‐AVS) solution showed a broad peek at 330–600 nm when the monomer AVS to the total monomers mole ratio was 0.31, and the fluorescent emission spectrum of poly(MABE‐b‐AVS) in film state only showed one peak at 525 nm corresponding to the anthracene‐based unit that indicated a complete energy transfer from the benzoxazole group to the anthracene group. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3894–3901, 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

End‐functionalized polystyrene (PSt) was synthesized via atom‐transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) by using 4‐chloromethyl benzoic acid (CMBA) and the ethyl‐protected carboxylic acid, ethyl 4‐chloromethybenzenecarboxylate (ECBC), as initiators respectively. The structure of PSt proved the living‐radical polymerization. Results exhibit both ATRP initiators afforded well‐controlled polymerization with high initiator efficiencies. However, the study also shows the controllability of ATRP can be obviously influenced by using different initiator in different catalyst system. Furthermore, the terminal group of the PSt1, benzoic acid, can coordinate with Europium(III) ion to obtain the polymeric Eu(III) complex, which shows both emissions of polymer and Eu(III) ion. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]