Scott Ellery George

Epoxy and hydroxy functional polyolefin macromonomers

Methods for preparing saturated polyolefin oligomers with Si(SINGLE BOND)H, epoxy groups, and with dihydroxy groups have been developed. Anionic polymerization of butadiene, then termination of the chains with chlorodimethylsilane leads to controlled molecular weight oligomers with silane functionality, and wherein the microstructure can be tailored. Hydrogenation of these materials proceeds smoothly using colloidal nickel catalysts to yield the corresponding saturated materials, which are stable to conditions used for melt polyesterifications. Hydrosilation of allyl glycidyl ether with the Si(SINGLE BOND)H end groups produces epoxy functional oligomers, and subsequent hydrolysis of the epoxy rings yields oligomers with a dihydroxy group at one end. Melt copolymerization of the olefin macromers with 1,4-butanediol and 1,4-dimethylcyclohexanedicarboxylate in the presence of titanium isopropoxide affords poly(ester-g-olefin) graft copolymers. These copolymers are under study as model interfacial agents for polyester/polyolefin blends and as suspension agents for polyester particles in nonpolar media.