Synthesis of Polyethylene-block-Poly(${\varepsilon}-caprolactone$) and Polyethylene-block-Poly(methyl methacrylate) from Hydroxy-terminated Polyethylenes

Ethylene was polymerized with a catalyst having sterically hindered pentamethylcyclopentadienyl ligand, $Cp^{\ast}_{2}ZrCl_{2}/MAO$, and the polymerization mixture were treated with dry oxygen (oxidative workup) to produce hydroxyl-terminated polyethylenes (PE-OH). Polyethylene-block-Poly (${\Box}-caprolactone$) was synthesized from PE-OH and ${\cdot}\^{A}-caprolactone$A by using stannous octoate as a catalyst for ring opening polymerization of ${\cdot}\^{A}-caprolactone$. Polyethylene-block-Poly(methyl methacrylate) was obtained by transforming the hydroxyl-terminated polyethylenes to macroinitiators for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and by reacting them with MMA.