HyperMacs:: Highly branched polymers prepared by the polycondensation of AB2 macromonomers, synthesis and characterization

We describe here a new strategy for the synthesis of polymers with highly branched architectures. The strategy involves the synthesis by anionic polymerization of well-defined AB(2) polystyrene (condensation) macromonomers with molecular weights from 3500 to 38 000 g mol(-1), which are then converted via a one-pot polycondensation reaction into high-molecular-weight, long-chain (hyper)branched architectures. Because the hyperbranched structures are built up from condensation macromonomers, we have coined the term HyperMac to describe these branched polymers. In this paper, we report the synthesis of the macromonomers, the optimal conditions for the polycondensation reaction, and some preliminary characterization studies.