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EPR study of the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of (meth)acrylates
Author(s) -
Kajiwara Atsushi,
Matyjaszewski Krzysztof
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1521-3927(19980601)19:6<319::aid-marc319>3.0.co;2-c
Subject(s) - polymerization , polymer chemistry , electron paramagnetic resonance , living free radical polymerization , atom transfer radical polymerization , radical polymerization , copper , methyl methacrylate , reversible addition−fragmentation chain transfer polymerization , chemistry , ionic polymerization , solution polymerization , photochemistry , methyl acrylate , catalytic chain transfer , copolymer , polymer , organic chemistry , nuclear magnetic resonance , physics
Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was applied to atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and methyl acrylate (MA) in order to investigate the mechanism of the controlled/“living” radical polymerization system. Although initially only copper(I) species was added to the system as a catalyst, EPR signals of copper(II) species were observed during the polymerization of MMA initiated by ethyl 2‐bromoisobutyrate and p ‐methylbenzenesulfonyl chloride, and polymerization of MA initiated by methyl 2‐bromopropionate. As the polymerization proceeded, the concentration of copper(II) increased gradually until a steady state was reached. The EPR results indicate that 5–6% of copper(I) species converted to copper(II) species in polymerization of MMA and about 3% in polymerization of MA at 90°C.