ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with macromonomers and describes their synthesis, polymerization, and applications. The principle of the macromonomer itself was investigated in the 1960s. The chapter discusses the comparison between various macromonomers for the purpose of the molecular design of graft copolymers. Graft copolymers are usually characterized by their amphiphilic properties. By adding amphiphilic graft copolymers to commodity polymers, the surface of the polymers can be modified. The living polymerization can be used to prepare well-defined monodispersed macromonomers in the anionic system. Most of the methods, including anionic polymerization, were investigated by using end-capping reactions of polymeric anions. Initiating and end-capping methods are provided for the preparation of macromonomers using cationic polymerization similar to the anionic methods. In most cases, polytetra-hydrofuran macromonomers were prepared by ring-opening cationic polymerization. As a kind of radical polymerization, the telomerization of redox systems could be used for the preparation of macromonomers.
