Suzuki–Miyaura catalyst-transfer polycondensation of triolborate-type fluorene monomer: toward rapid access to polyfluorene-containing block and graft copolymers from various macroinitiators

In this study, we demonstrated that the Suzuki–Miyaura catalyst transfer polycondensation (SCTP) of the triolborate-type fluorene monomer, viz. potassium 2-(7-bromo-9,9-dihexyl-9H-fluorene-2-yl)triolborate, can be an efficient and versatile approach to the precise synthesis of poly[2,7-(9,9-dihexylfluorene)]s (PFs) and PF-containing block and graft copolymers. SCTP of the triolborate-type monomer proceeded rapidly in a THF/H2O mixed solvent at −10 °C using an iodobenzene derivative/Pd2(dba)3·CHCl3/t-Bu3P initiating system. Kinetic and post-polymerization experiments revealed that SCTP proceeded via the chain-growth and living polymerization mechanisms. The most important feature of the present polymerization system is that only a small amount of base and water can sufficiently promote the reaction. The well-controlled nature of this polymerization system enabled the synthesis of high-molecular-weight PFs (Mn = 5–69 kg mol−1) with narrow dispersity (ĐM = 1.14–1.38) and α-end-functionalized PFs. Most importantly, PF-containing block and graft copolymers were successfully synthesized, beginning with various iodobenzene-functionalized macroinitiators; this was difficult to achieve by the conventional SCTP of pinacolboronate-type fluorene monomer. One of the key factors for the successful block and graft copolymer syntheses is the reduced water content in the polymerization medium, which suppressed the potential precipitation/aggregation of the macroinitiators.