Efficient synthesis of two or multi component block copolymers through living radical polymerization with polymeric photoiniferters

Abstract

To synthesize efficiently block copolymers, the radical polymerization of vinyl monomers with the polymers obtained by tetraethyl thiuram disulfide(TD) as polymeric photoiniferters has been investigated. These photopolymerizations were found to proceed via a living radical mechanism, i.e. both the whole polymer yields and the average molecular weight of the block copolymers increased with increasing of the polymerization time. By applying these living radical polymerizations, various block copolymers consisting of two, three and four component blocks were obtained in good yields, suggesting that these techniques are effective and useful for synthesizing multi component block copolymers through radical polymerizations of polar vinyl monomers.