Water‐soluble copolymers. III. Dextran‐g‐poly(acrylamides) control of grafting sites and molecular weight by Ce(IV)‐induced initiation in homogeneous solutions

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Abstract
Model graft copolymers were synthesized by grafting acrylamide onto dextran (Mw = 500,000) utilizing an initiation method in which a Ce(IV)/HNO3 solution was added to the dextran solution in order to allow coplexation prior to monomer addition. Three synthetic reaction parameters were optimized on the basis of conversion and solution viscosity: monomer concentration, dextran concentration, and nitric acid concentration. Molar ratios of [Ce(IV)]/[dextran] were changed systematically to affect the number and length of the acrylamide grafts. The number of grafting sites and graft chain lengths, determined by selective hydrolysis of the carbohydrate backbone, were in good agreement with those theortically predicted from knowledge of initiation efficiency and monomer conversion. Rheological studies of the model graft copolymers were conducted in aqueous solutions as a function of temperature, added salt, and copolymer concentration.