A copper-based reverse ATRP process for the living radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate

✍ Scribed by Dong-Qi Qin; Shu-Hui Qin; Kun-Yuan Qiu

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 208 KB
• Volume: 81
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.1661

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (RATRP) technique using CuCl~2~/bipyridine (bipy) complex as a catalyst was applied to the living radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA). A hexa‐substituted ethane thermal iniferter, diethyl 2,3‐dicyano‐2,3‐diphenylsuccinate (DCDPS), was used as the initiator in this copper‐based reverse ATRP initiation system. The reversible dissociation nature of DCDPS gives a more suitable amount of primary radical than formerly used conventional initiators, such as AIBN. High molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution (M~w~/M~n~ ≈ 1.20) of the resulting PMMA was obtained in bulk and in solution polymerization at 85°C. End‐group analysis result by ^1^H‐NMR spectroscopy shows that the polymer obtained is ω‐functionalized by a chlorine group, which can be used as macroinitiator for chain extension and block copolymerization with a conventional ATRP catalyst. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 2237–2245, 2001