Polymers with pendant allyl ester groups prepared via atom transfer radical polymerization: Synthesis, characterization, and microstructuring of thin films

Random copolymers of styrene (St) and allyl methacrylate (AMA) as well as of methyl methacrylate (MMA), butyl methacrylate (BMA) and AMA were prepared by copolymerization of the mixture of monomers via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The control of the reaction depends on the monomer conversion, the monomer to initiator ratio and the concentration of AMA in the feed. Block copolymers with a polycarbonate) - or a poly(phenylene oxide) block and PAMA end blocks were obtained by ATRP of AMA using the macroinitiator technique. All these copolymers with allyl ester side chains are soluble; films were prepared and cross-linking was achieved by irradiation in the presence of suitable photoinitiators. Moreover, microstructuring of polymer layers on solid substrates was achieved by laterally resolved photochemical cross-linking.