ABSTRACT

The polymer chemist is most often involved in the synthesis of high molecular weight polymeric materials. This chapter emphasizes the controlled synthesis of α,ω-metal dicarboxylato telechelic polymers (CTPs), how CTPs can improve the understanding of the ion pair association and its effect on the properties of the base polymer. It provides several examples which support the technological interest of CTPs both in solution and in bulk. The neutralization of α,ω-dicarboxy telechelic polymers actually provides an interesting combination of the advantages offered by ionomers and functional oligomers. That type of ionically cross-linked product or halato-telechelic polymer has been developed in a controlled way and thoroughly investigated both in bulk and in nonpolar solvents. Regarding the polymeric backbone, α,ω-dicarboxy polydienes and polyvinyl aromatics are easily prepared by living anionic polymerization using a di-functional initiator and anhydrous carbon dioxide as a deactivating agent. The position of the sol-gel transition and the spinodal curve depends on the polymer-solvent interactions.