Potentially water soluble block copolymers containing polyacetylene sequences

Diblock copolymers poly(phenylvinylsulfoxide)-poly(glycidylmethacrylate) PPVS-PMG, as well as triblock PMG-PPVS-PMG have been synthesized and the PPVS sequence further converted to polyacetylene by thermal treatment. These copolymers, of narrow polydispersities, are soluble in common organic solvents where they form aggregates. PMG was selected as the solubilizing block because it may be converted to poly(dihydroxypropylmethacrylate) which is water soluble. During this conversion PPVS also tranforms in some extend to PA which undergoes subsequent side reactions so that no well defined water soluble copolymers could yet be obtained.