Reversible-Deactivation Radical Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate Induced by Photochemical Reduction of Various Copper Catalysts

• Main Authors: Jaroslav Mosnáček, Anna Kundys, Anita Andicsová
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2014-11-01
• Series: Polymers
• Subjects: atom transfer radical polymerization; photopolymerization; methyl methacrylate; UV light; visible light; living/controlled polymerization
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/6/11/2862

Photochemically mediated reversible-deactivation radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate was successfully performed using 50–400 ppm of various copper compounds such as CuSO4·5H2O, copper acetate, copper triflate and copper acetylacetonate as catalysts. The copper catalysts were reduced in situ by irradiation at wavelengths of 366–546 nm, without using any additional reducing agent. Bromopropionitrile was used as an initiator. The effects of various solvents and the concentration and structure of ligands were investigated. Well-defined polymers were obtained when at least 100 or 200 ppm of any catalyst complexed with excess tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine as a ligand was used in dimethyl sulfoxide as a solvent.