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Studies of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of acrylates by MALDI TOF mass spectrometry
Author(s) -
Bednarek Melania,
Biedroń Tadeusz,
Kubisa Przemysław
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1521-3935(20000101)201:1<58::aid-macp58>3.0.co;2-g
Subject(s) - chemistry , polymerization , polymer chemistry , atom transfer radical polymerization , amine gas treating , radical polymerization , macromolecule , polymer , chain transfer , mass spectrometry , living free radical polymerization , organic chemistry , chromatography , biochemistry
Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl, butyl and tert ‐butyl acrylates was studied at conditions when low molecular weight polymers ( M n ≅ 2·10 3 ) are formed, i. e., at relatively high concentration of initiator (ethyl 2‐bromopropionate) and catalyst (CuBr/amine). MALDI TOF analysis of the polymer samples isolated at different stages of polymerization revealed that in the course of polymerization potentially active macromolecules terminated with bromine are gradually converted into inactive macromolecules devoid of terminal bromine. A possible transfer mechanism, involving amine is a component of the catalytic system, is proposed. It was shown that quantitative analysis of the MALDI TOF spectra allows one to estimate the ratio of apparent rate constants of propagation and degradative transfer, providing quantitative information to what extent the system conforms to the contolled polymerization scheme.