ABSTRACT
Functional oligomers or polymers, also named telechelics, are reactive macromolecules capable of being engaged in other reactions through their reactive end groups. An increasing number of telechelic polymers presently used, have only one or even more than two reactive end groups. Therefore telechelics can be classified as mono-telechelics, di-telechelics or tri-telechelics, and multifunctional telechelics. Functional branched polymers, star-shaped polymers, or dendrimers represent typical examples of multifunctional telechelics. When the polymer chain ends are decorated with two chemically different functions, they are called heterotelechelics. Macromonomers constitute a specific class of functional oligomers or polymers decorated at least at one chain end with polymerizable entities. The chapter focuses on telechelic polyethers based on Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). It is concerned with the synthesis of graft copolymers based on monofunctional telechelic PEOs or on monofunctional PEO macromonomers. The chapter explores the preparation, behavior, and some applications of fluorinated polyethers, a specialty polymer characterized by outstanding properties.
