Synthesis of Cyclic Polystyrenes Using Living Anionic Polymerization and Metathesis Ring-Closure

A combination of living anionic polymerization and metathesis ring-closure provides an efficient method for synthesis of well-defined, macrocyclic polymers over a broad molecular weight range. A series of well-defined, α,ω-divinylpolystyrene precursors (Mn = 2800, 8600, 17000, and 38000 g/mol) were synthesized by 4-pentenyllithium-initiated polymerization of styrene followed by termination with 4-chloromethylstyrene. Efficient cyclization of these α,ω-divinylpolystyrene precursors was effected in CH2Cl2 and CH2Cl2/cyclohexane mixtures using a Grubb’s catalyst, bis(tricyclohexylphosphine)benzylidine ruthenium(IV) chloride. As the precursor Mn increased, more cyclohexane was added and the concentration of the precursor was decreased from 1.41 × 10–4 to 2.15 × 10–6 M. The macrocyclic polymers were uniquely characterized by MALDI–TOF mass spectrometry in terms of peaks that appeared characteristically 28 m/z units lower than those of the corresponding open-chain precursor peaks, corresponding to the loss of a...