Reverse atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in imidazolium ionic liquids

✍ Scribed by Hongyang Ma; Xinhua Wan; Xiaofang Chen; Qi-Feng Zhou

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2003
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 207 KB
• Volume: 44
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0032-3861
• DOI: 10.1016/s0032-3861(03)00531-7

✦ Synopsis

Reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) employing 2,2-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN)/CuCl 2 /bipyridine(bipy) as the initiating system was approached at 80 8C in two ionic liquids, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C 4 mim][BF 4 ]) and 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C 12 mim][BF 4 ]), respectively. The polymerization in [C 12 mim][BF 4 ] proceeded in a well-controlled manner as evidenced by kinetic studies, end group analysis, chain extension, and block copolymerization results, but not in [C 4 mim][BF 4 ] presumably due to poor solubility of PMMA in it. The kinetic study of reverse ATRP of MMA in recycled [C 12 mim][BF 4 ] suggested that this ionic liquid could be re-used as reaction solvent after simple purification, without affecting the living nature of polymerization.