Diene/polar monomer copolymers,compatibilisers for polar/non‐polar polymer blends. A controlled block copolymerisation with a single‐site component samarocene initiator

A well‐controlled two‐step process, the polymerisation of isoprene or isoprene/hex‐1‐ene copolymerisation followed by ε‐caprolactone polymerisation, affords trans‐polyisoprene or (trans‐polyisoprene/hex‐1‐ene copolymer)–poly(ε‐caprolactone) diblocks of various lengths. The single component initiator is an allylsamarocene compound. An atomic force microscopy study shows that these copolymers are efficient compatibilisers for poly(ε‐caprolactone) and polyisoprene blends.

Poly(ε‐caprolactone) chain growth from Sm–polyisoprene chain.