The present invention involves the use of random copolymer top coats that can be spin coated onto block copolymer thin films and used to control the interfacial energy of the top coat-block copolymer interface. The top coats are soluble in aqueous weak base and can change surface energy once they are deposited onto the block copolymer thin film. The use of self-assembled block copolymers to produce advanced lithographic patterns relies on their orientation control in thin films. Top coats potentially allow for the facile orientation control of block copolymers which would otherwise be quite challenging.