RAFT Polymerization of Monomers with Highly Disparate Reactivities: Use of a Single RAFT Agent and the Synthesis of Poly(styrene-block-vinyl acetate)

2013 ◽  
Vol 66 (12) ◽  
pp. 1564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lily A. Dayter ◽  
Kate A. Murphy ◽  
Devon A. Shipp

A single reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent, malonate N,N-diphenyldithiocarbamate (MDP-DTC) is shown to successfully mediate the polymerization of several monomers with greatly differing reactivities in radical/RAFT polymerizations, including both vinyl acetate and styrene. The chain transfer constants (Ctr) for MDP-DTC for both these monomers were evaluated; these were found to be ~2.7 in styrene and ~26 in vinyl acetate, indicating moderate control over styrene polymerization and good control of vinyl acetate polymerization. In particular, the MDP-DTC RAFT agent allowed for the synthesis of block copolymers of these two monomers without the need for protonation/deprotonation switching, as has been previously developed with N-(4-pyridinyl)-N-methyldithiocarbamate RAFT agents, or other end-group transformations. The thermal properties of the block copolymers were studied using differential scanning calorimetry, and those with sufficiently high molecular weight and styrene composition appear to undergo phase separation. Thus, MDP-DTC may be useful for the production of other block copolymers consisting of monomers with highly dissimilar reactivities.

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine L. Moad ◽  
Graeme Moad

Abstract Radical polymerization is transformed into what is known as reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization by the addition of a RAFT agent. RAFT polymerization enables the preparation of polymers with predictable molar mass, narrow chain length distribution, high end-group integrity and provides the ability to construct macromolecules with the intricate architectures and composition demanded by modern applications in medicine, electronics and nanotechnology. This paper provides a background to understanding the mechanism of RAFT polymerization and how this technique has evolved.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 4169
Author(s):  
Eri Oishi ◽  
Masumi Takamura ◽  
Tatsuhiro Takahashi

The effect of a long alkyl end group on the thermal and structural properties of RAFT (reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer)-polymerized poly(stearyl acrylate) (PSA) was investigated. RAFT-polymerized PSA was prepared using 2-cyano-2-[(dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonyl) sulfanyl] propane (CDTP) with long alkyl group as a chain transfer agent and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator. The RAFT polymerization resulted in the polymerized structure having trithiocarbonyl (TTC) at one end and isobutyronitrile at the other end. RAFT-polymerized PSA was prepared with two different molecular weights. The TTC end group was replaced by isobutyronitrile using radical reaction with AIBN through optimization of the conditions, which resulted in isobutyronitrile at both ends. The effect of the end group on the thermal and structural properties was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction, and the results indicated that the long alkyl group from TTC lowers the melting point and semi-crystalline structure in the case of low molecular weight PSA.


2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 317-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Binxin Li ◽  
Daniel Majonis ◽  
Peng Liu ◽  
Mitchell A. Winnik

We describe the synthesis of an end-functionalized copolymer of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) and N-hydroxysuccinimide methacrylate (NMS) by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. To control the polymer composition, the faster reacting monomer (NMS) was added slowly to the reaction mixture beginning 30 min after initating the polymerization (ca. 16% HPMA conversion). One RAFT agent, based on azocyanopentanoic acid, introduced a –COOH group to the chain at one end. Use of a different RAFT agent containing a 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide dye introduced a UV–vis absorbing and fluorescent group at this chain end. The polymers obtained had molecular weights of 30 000 and 20 000, respectively, and contained about 30 mol% NMS active ester groups.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (21) ◽  
pp. 5147
Author(s):  
Wanting Hou ◽  
Ruiqi Liu ◽  
Siwei Bi ◽  
Qian He ◽  
Haibo Wang ◽  
...  

Due to a strong retardation effect of o-nitrobenzyl ester on polymerization, it is still a great challenge to prepare amphiphilic block copolymers for polymersomes with a o-nitrobenzyl ester-based hydrophobic block. Herein, we present one such solution to prepare amphiphilic block copolymers with pure poly (o-nitrobenzyl acrylate) (PNBA) as the hydrophobic block and poly (N,N’-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) as the hydrophilic block using bulk reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of o-nitrobenzyl acrylate using a PDMA macro-RAFT agent. The developed amphiphilic block copolymers have a suitable hydrophobic/hydrophilic ratio and can self-assemble into photoresponsive polymersomes for co-loading hydrophobic and hydrophilic cargos into hydrophobic membranes and aqueous compartments of the polymersomes. The polymersomes demonstrate a clear photo-responsive characteristic. Exposure to light irradiation at 365 nm can trigger a photocleavage reaction of o-nitrobenzyl groups, which results in dissociation of the polymersomes with simultaneous co-release of hydrophilic and hydrophobic cargoes on demand. Therefore, these polymersomes have great potential as a smart drug delivery nanocarrier for controllable loading and releasing of hydrophilic and hydrophobic drug molecules. Moreover, taking advantage of the conditional releasing of hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, the drug delivery system has potential use in medical applications such as cancer therapy.


e-Polymers ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Xu ◽  
Wei Shang ◽  
Jian Zhu ◽  
Zhenping Cheng ◽  
Nianchen Zhou ◽  
...  

AbstractA novel bis-functional reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent bearing triphenylamine (TPA) and bis(indolyl)methane (BIM) groups, {4-[bis(1-carbodithioic acid benzyl ester-indol-3-yl)methyl]phenyl}diphenylamine (BCIMPDPA), was synthesized and successfully used as the RAFT agent to mediate the polymerization of styrene (St). The polymerization results showed that reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of St could be well controlled. The kinetic plot showed it was of first order and the numberaverage molecular weight (Mn(GPC)) of the polymer measured by GPC increased linearly with monomer conversion, simultaneously, the molecular weight distribution of the polymer was also relatively narrow. In addition, the existence of the TPA and BIM groups in the middle of polymer chain was confirmed by chain extension reaction and 1H NMR spectrum. The optical properties of the functionalized polystyrene (PS) in chloroform solution were also investigated. Furthermore, the redox process of the RAFT agent and the functionalized PS were studied by cyclic voltammetry method.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Wenwen Yu ◽  
Lijing Zhu ◽  
Jiangao Shi ◽  
Cunting Zhao

Poly(lactic acid)-block-poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PLA-PDMAEMA) copolymers were synthesized from aminolyzed PLA via reversible addition fragmentation (RAFT) polymerization. PLA undergoes aminolytic degradation with ethylenediamine (EDA). The kinetics of the aminolysis reaction of PLA at different temperatures and EDA concentrations was investigated in detail. The molar masses of products rapidly decreased in the initial stage at low aminolytic degree. Meanwhile, reactive –NH2 and –OH groups were introduced to the end of shorter PLA chains and used as sites to further immobilize the RAFT agent. PLA-PDMAEMA block copolymers were synthesized. A pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics was observed for the RAFT polymerization of PDMAEMA at a low conversion. By controlling the aminolysis reaction of PLA and RAFT polymerization degree of DMAEMA, the length distributions of the PLA and PDMAEMA blocks can be controlled. This method can be extended to more systems to obtain block copolymers with controllable block structure.


RSC Advances ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (111) ◽  
pp. 91225-91234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joana. R. Góis ◽  
Anatoliy V. Popov ◽  
Tamaz Guliashvili ◽  
Arménio C. Serra ◽  
Jorge F. J. Coelho

Two new xanthates with alkyne functionalities were synthesized for the reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of vinyl acetate (VAc).


e-Polymers ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshihiko Arita ◽  
Sabine Beuermann ◽  
Michael Buback ◽  
Philipp Vana

Abstract Reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerizations of styrene in fluid CO2 have been carried out at 80°C and 300 bar using cumyl dithiobenzoate as the controlling agent in the concentration range of 3.5·10-3 to 2.1·10-2 mol/L. This is the first report on RAFT polymerization in fluid CO2. The polymerization rates were retarded depending on the employed RAFT agent concentration with no significant difference between the RAFT polymerization performed in fluid CO2 and in toluene. Full chain length distributions were analyzed with respect to peak molecular weights, indicating the successful control of radical polymerization in fluid CO2. A characterization of the peak widths may suggest a minor influence of fluid CO2 on the addition reaction of macroradicals on the dithiobenzoate group.


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