Controlled Radical Polymerization Using a Novel Symmetrical Selenium RAFT Agent

Abstract

A novel symmetrical selenium-based reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent, Se,Se’-dibenzyl carbonodiselenothioate (Se-RAFT), is synthesized and used in the RAFT polymerization of styrene. The results obtained show that the Se-RAFT agent is involved in the polymerization of styrene, as evidenced by narrow molar-mass distributions (M¯w/M¯n < 1.6) and the incorporation of the Se-RAFT moiety into the resultant polymer. The latter is confirmed by aminolysis, NMR spectroscopy, size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and UV spectroscopy. This work provides detailed insight into the Se-RAFT polymerization mechanism. The Se-RAFT agent is unique in that the stabilizing and leaving groups are identical.