Patent ID: 7714075

Claim:
A process for the synthesis of a block polymer of the general formula: comprising contacting: (i) one or more vinyl monomers of structure CH 2 ═CUV, and; (ii) a chain transfer agent: having a chain transfer constant greater than about 0.1; and (iii) free radicals produced from a free radical source; wherein: Q is a polymer comprising the repeating units of: wherein; U is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, and optionally substituted C 1 -C 4 alkyl wherein the substituents are independently selected from the group that consists of hydroxy, OR″, carboxy, O 2 CR″, and CO 2 R″; V is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, R″ and halogen, provided when Q comprises styrene or methyl methacrylate, Z is not alkoxy; wherein: Z is optionally substituted alkylthio; optionally substituted alkoxy; dialkyl- or diaryl-phosphonato; or dialkyl- or diaryl-phosphinato; R is selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted alkyl; optionally substituted alkenyl; optionally substituted alkynyl; an optionally substituted saturated, unsaturated or aromatic carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring; and a polymer chain prepared by any polymerization mechanism; in agent C, R. is a free-radical leaving group that initiates free radical polymerization; R″ is selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted C 1 -C 18 alkyl, C 2 -C 18 alkenyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, aralkyl, alkaryl wherein the substituents are independently selected from the group that consists of epoxy, hydroxy, alkoxy, acyl, acyloxy, carboxy and carboxylates, sulfonic acid and sulfonates, alkoxy- or aryloxy-carbonyl, isocyanato, cyano, silyl, halo, and dialkylamino; q is 1 or an integer greater than 1 wherein when q=1, then Q is a homopolymer chain resulting from a single monomer species and R is said polymer chain prepared by any polymerization mechanism; wherein when q≧2, then Q is a copolymer chain resulting from two or more monomer species in irregular sequence and R is said polymer chain prepared by any polymerization mechanism; or wherein when q≧2, then Q is a block copolymer chain resulting from two or more monomer species in discreet sequence and p is 1.