Synthesis and post-polymerization modification of poly(pentafluorophenyl methacrylate) brushes

Post-polymerization modification is a powerful strategy to endow polymers with functional groups that cannot be incorporated via direct polymerization. This manuscript explores the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) of pentafluorophenyl methacrylate (PFMA) to prepare active ester containing polymer brushes and investigates the feasibility and versatility of these reactive thin polymer films towards post-polymerization modification with a variety of amines. Post-polymerization modification of the PPFMA brushes was studied with FTIR and XPS and was found to proceed with near-quantitative conversion for most of the investigated amines. As they combine a high reactivity towards a broad range of amines with a good hydrolytic stability and swelling in a broad range of organic solvents, these PPFMA brushes represent an attractive platform for the preparation of libraries of functional polymer brushes via post-polymerization modification.