An object of the present invention is to provide an acrylic acid-based star polymer which has a controlled structure with a narrow molecular weight distribution and acid decomposability. The star polymer contains, as a core portion, a polymer chain having a repeating unit derived from a polyacrylate which has at least two partial structures represented by formula (I):
(wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2 and R3 each independently represents an organic group which is combined via a carbon atom, and a C1 carbon represents a carbon atom which is combined with a moiety via a carbon atom) and, as an arm portion, a polymer chain having a repeating unit derived from a (meth)acrylic ester represented by formula (II):
(wherein R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R5 represents an organic group), excluding a homopolymer chain having a repeating unit derived from a (meth)acrylic ester in which R5 is a C1-C4 alkyl group when R1 in formula (I) is a methyl group.
本发明的目的是提供一种以
丙烯酸为基础的星型聚合物,它具有分子量分布窄、酸分解性好的可控结构。该星型聚合物的核心部分是一条聚合物链,其重复单元来自聚
丙烯酸酯,聚
丙烯酸酯至少有两个部分结构由式(I)表示:
(其中 R1 代表氢原子或甲基,R2 和 R3 各自独立地代表通过一个碳原子结合的有机基团,C1 碳代表通过一个碳原子与一个分子结合的碳原子),作为臂部,聚合物链具有由式(II)代表的(甲基)
丙烯酸酯衍生的重复单元:
(其中 R4 代表氢原子或甲基,R5 代表有机基团),不包括具有由(甲基)
丙烯酸酯衍生的重复单元的均聚物链,其中当式(I)中的 R1 为甲基时,R5 为 C1-C4 烷基。