Synthesis and molecular weight characterization of low molecular weight end-functionalized poly(4-acryloylmorpholine)

New amphiphilic oligomers ending at one side with a reactive function were synthesized by radical polymerization of a vinyl monomer, N-acryloylmorpholine, in the presence of functionalized chain-transfer agents (CTAs). The oligomers were characterized in terms of molecular weight and molecular weight distribution, by means of analytical size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) working in buffered aqueous media. This has been accomplished by determining a calibration curve for a set of SEC columns, with poly(N-acryloylmorpholine) standards purposely obtained by means of preparative SEC. The transfer constant CT of some CTAs towards N-acryloylmorpholine has been estimated to be approximately 1.