Synthesis and self-assembly of poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane)-block-poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline) block copolymers

Herein, we demonstrate the synthesis of chain-end functionalized poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane) (PFDMS) and poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazoline)s (POx) of different molar mass, and the subsequent macromolecular conjugation to organometallic PFDMS-b-POx block copolymers of different composition via copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). We distinguish between amphiphilic crystalline-coil PFDMS-b-PEtOx (poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)) and potentially double crystalline PFDMS-b-PiPrOx (poly(2-iso-propyl-2-oxazoline)) materials. After characterization of the obtained block copolymers via SEC, NMR, FT-IR and X-ray scattering, the solution behavior in acetone as a non-solvent for PFDMS was investigated. We found various aggregate morphologies with a PFDMS core and a POx corona (sheets, vesicles, rods), depending on the weight fraction of the organometallic PFDMS segment.