Living Radical Polymerization in Homogeneous System by Using Iniferter: Design of Block Copolymers

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Abstract
Benzyl N-ethyldithiocarbamate(BEDC) and xylylene bis(N-ethyl-dithiocarbamate)(XEDC) were prepared, and used as mono- and bi-functional photoiniferters, respectively, of the polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate. These photopolymerizations were performed via a living radical polymerization mechanism in homogeneous system. The polymers obtained by BEDC and XEDC still contained one and two reactive N-ethyldithiocarbamate end groups, respectively, bonded at their chain ends. When these polymers were reacted with nucleophiles and copper(n) ion, the chain extension reactions were observed to occur depending on their functionality. By using the polymers obtained by BEDC and XEDC as mono- and bi-functional polymeric photoiniferters, the AB and ABA block copolymers were also obtained, respectively. Similar results were obtained by using benzyl N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate(BDC) and xylylene bis(N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate)(XEDC) as mono- and bifunctional photoiniferters, respectively. These results were also compared and discussed.