Polyrotaxanes are molecular composites consisting of three components: linear
polymers, bulky stoppers at the ends of polymer chains and macrocycles threaded by the
polymers.
A series of tetraarylmethyl derivatives as blocking groups were synthesized. Using
tris(p-ten-butylphenyl)( 4-hydroxyphenyl)methane a new blocking groupfmitiator (BO(mit)
was synthesized. The BG(mit's ability of blockingfmitiation in free radical polymerizations
was established by polymerization of styrene.
As cyclic components, aliphatic crown ethers (30-crown-lO, "42-crown-14" and
"6O-crown-20") were synthesized by multi-piece combination methods. The purification of
the crown ethers was achieved by treatment with poly(methacryloyl chloride), column
chromatography and recrystallization; by NMR in DMSO-d6 the purity of the products was
demonstrated. The 42-crown-based [2]catenane was isolated while synthesizing "42-
crown-14" and characterized in terms of its physically interlocked structure. Two new
hydrocarbon-based macrocycles were prepared by two-piece combination method.
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