Post-polymerization modification of reactive polymers derived from vinylcyclopropane: 1. synthesis and thermo-responsive behaviour

A new reactive vinylcyclopropane monomer, 1-cyano-1-pentafluorophenoxycarbonyl-2-vinylcyclopropane, has been synthesized and polymerized. The obtained polymer contained exclusively the pent-3-enyl repeating unit in the polymer backbone. Taking advantage of activated ester chemistries, post-polymerization modifications with different aliphatic amines have been conducted. All prepared polymers exhibited an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) in ethanol and ethanol–water. It was found that the UCST was directly related to the amide moiety of the polymer. An increased solubility of the polymer in ethanol with the increase of the volume of the aliphatic amide moiety was observed. The reverse effect was found when adding water to the ethanolic solution of the polymer.