Molecular brushes of poly(2-oxazoline)s were prepared by living anionic polymerization of 2-iso-propenyl-2-oxazoline to form the backbone and subsequent living cationic ring-opening polymerization of 2- n - or 2- iso -propyl-2-oxazoline for pendant chain grafting. In situ kinetic studies indicate that the initiation effi ciency and polymerization rates are independent from the number of initiator functions per initiator molecule. This was attributed to the high effi ciency of oxazolinium salt and the
stretched conformation of the backbone, which is caused by the electrostatic repulsion of the oxazolinium moieties along the macroinitiator. The resulting molecular brushes showed thermoresponsive properties, that is, having a defi ned cloud point (CP). The dependence of the CP as a function of backbone and side chain length as well as concentration was studied.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/macp.201200015/abstract