Premium
Reversible Addition Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) Polymerization with a Polymeric RAFT Agent Containing Multiple Trithiocarbonate Groups
Author(s) -
Liu Yuqing,
Cavicchi Kevin A.
Publication year - 2009
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/macp.200900201
Subject(s) - chain transfer , raft , reversible addition−fragmentation chain transfer polymerization , dispersity , polymer chemistry , copolymer , polymerization , chemistry , living polymerization , polymer , polystyrene , radical polymerization , organic chemistry
Polytrithiocarbonates were prepared by the condensation polymerization of a dicarboxylic acid functional trithiocarbonate and a diol. These polymers were effective reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agents for the bulk polymerization of polystyrene homopolymers and a poly[styrene‐ block‐ ( tert ‐butylstyrene)] block copolymer. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) analysis of the original and amine cleaved polymers showed that the polydispersity of the polymer tended toward two with increasing polymerization time, but the polydispersity of the polymer units between trithiocarbonate groups was narrow (ca. 1.1–1.3) Also, the average number of trithiocarbonate groups per chain was found to be proportional to the number of trithiocarbonate groups in the starting RAFT agent. These polytrithiocarbonate RAFT agents will be useful for preparing multiblock copolymers over a range of chemistries, block numbers and molecular weights.