Synthesis of Telechelic Poly(tetrahydrofuran) Having a Carboxyl Group by Using an Anion of Diethyl Malonate or Hydroxy Esters as Terminator

Telechelic poly(tetrahydrofurans) (polyTHFs) having ester groups at each polymer end have been prepared by terminating living propagating species with an anion of diethyl malonate or of a hydroxy-containing ester. The resulting polymers have been converted into the corresponding telechelic polyTHFs having aliphatic or aromatic carboxyl groups by the hydrolysis and successive decarboxylation of the terminal diethyl malonate moiety or by the hydrolysis of the terminal ester moiety. The functionality of the resulting polyTHFs is close to 2.0, indicating that two carboxyl groups have quantitatively been introduced onto both polymer ends.