The present invention provides polymers and methods of preparing the same. In certain embodiments, the polymers comprise acrylate repeating units that have been derivatized (e.g., reduced and/or substituted) to form new polymeric structures. In certain embodiments, the polymers described herein self-assemble to form well-defined nanostructures. In some instances, the nanostructures exhibit relatively small d-spacing (e.g., a d-spacing value of 10 nm or less). Due to their properties, the polymers described herein are useful in a variety of applications including functional materials and biomedical applications.

The present invention provides polymers and methods of preparing the same. In certain embodiments, the polymers comprise acrylate repeating units that have been derivatized (e.g., reduced and/or substituted) to form new polymeric structures. In certain embodiments, the polymers described herein self-assemble to form well-defined nanostructures. In some instances, the nanostructures exhibit relatively small d-spacing (e.g., a d-spacing value of 10 nm or less). Due to their properties, the polymers described herein are useful in a variety of applications including functional materials and biomedical applications.

A diblock polymer composed of a first block and a second block is provided. The first block is a statistical copolymer comprising units of a 1,3-diene and more than 50 mol % of ethylene units. The second block is a polyethylene with a melting point above 90° C. and a number-average molar mass greater than or equal to 2000 g/mol and less than or equal to 10 000 g/mol. Such a diblock polymer has improved rheology compared to a statistical copolymer of the same microstructure and of the same macrostructure as the first block of the diblock polymer.

A method of polymerizing a first, and a second class of monomers to form product polymer. The first class of monomers polymerize via a radical pathway in the presence of light, and the second class of monomers polymerize via an insertion pathway in the absence of light.

The invention relates to a diorganomagnesium compound of formula R.sup.B—Mg—R.sup.A, R.sup.A being different from R.sup.8, R.sup.A being a polymer chain containing units of a monomer chosen from the group of monomers consisting of 1,3-dienes, aromatic α-monoolefins and mixtures thereof, R.sup.B comprising a benzene nucleus substituted with a magnesium atom, one of the carbon atoms of the benzene nucleus ortho to the magnesium being substituted with a methyl, an ethyl, an isopropyl or forming a ring with the carbon atom which is its closest neighbour and which is meta to the magnesium, the other carbon atom of the benzene nucleus ortho to the magnesium being substituted with a methyl, an ethyl or an isopropyl, on condition that if one of the two ortho carbon atoms is substituted with an isopropyl, the second ortho carbon atom is not substituted with an isopropyl.

The invention relates to a diorganomagnesium compound of formula R.sup.B—Mg—R.sup.A, R.sup.A being different from R.sup.8, R.sup.A being a polymer chain containing units of a monomer chosen from the group of monomers consisting of 1,3-dienes, aromatic α-monoolefins and mixtures thereof, R.sup.B comprising a benzene nucleus substituted with a magnesium atom, one of the carbon atoms of the benzene nucleus ortho to the magnesium being substituted with a methyl, an ethyl, an isopropyl or forming a ring with the carbon atom which is its closest neighbour and which is meta to the magnesium, the other carbon atom of the benzene nucleus ortho to the magnesium being substituted with a methyl, an ethyl or an isopropyl, on condition that if one of the two ortho carbon atoms is substituted with an isopropyl, the second ortho carbon atom is not substituted with an isopropyl.

A block polymer comprising a first block and a second block is provided. The first block contains aromatic α-mono-olefin units, and the second block contains both 1,3-diene units and mono-olefin units.

A block polymer comprising a first block and a second block is provided. The first block contains aromatic α-mono-olefin units, and the second block contains both 1,3-diene units and mono-olefin units.

A copolymer having properties (durability (fracture resistance, abrasion resistance, and crack-growth resistance)) similar to those of natural rubber and a method of producing the copolymer are provided. An isoprene copolymer has a styrene block or a butadiene block at a terminal thereof, wherein styrene monomers account for less than 5 mol % of all monomers forming the isoprene copolymer having the styrene block; butadiene monomers account for 10 mol % or less of all monomers forming the isoprene copolymer having the butadiene block; and cis-1,4 bond content of a portion derived from isoprene accounts for at least 95% in total.

A method for producing a propylene-based block copolymer produces a propylene-based copolymer that exhibits excellent stereoregularity, rigidity, and impact resistance in a convenient and efficient manner while achieving high polymerization activity. The method for producing a propylene-based block copolymer includes bringing a catalyst into contact with propylene, or propylene and an α-olefin, and bringing an electron donor compound into contact with the resulting product to produce a propylene-based block copolymer, the catalyst including a solid catalyst component that includes titanium, magnesium, a halogen, and an internal electron donor compound, a specific organoaluminum compound, and a specific external electron donor compound.