Selective quaternisation of 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate residues in tertiary amine methacrylate diblock copolymers

2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMA) was block copolymd. in turn with three other tertiary amine methacrylate comonomers, namely, 2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate, 2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate, and 2-morpholinoethyl methacrylate, using group-transfer polymn. The DMA residues of each of these diblock copolymers were selectively quaternized using both Me iodide and benzyl chloride under mild conditions to yield a series of novel cationic diblock copolymers that exhibit reversible pH-, salt-, and temp.-induced micellization in aq. media.