Abstract
This article overviews the work by our Group at the University of Cyprus on the attempted controlled polymerization of several biobased unsaturated esters. These were esters of tiglic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid and methylene malonic acid, whereas the method employed for their polymerization was group transfer polymerization (GTP), a type of quasi-living oxyanionic polymerization, capable of the rapid, room-temperature polymerization of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. Since the methyl ester of tiglic acid resisted GTP as well as conventional and controlled radical polymerizations, the monomer 2-(tigloyl)ethyl methacrylate was prepared and smoothly (co)polymerized by GTP from the methacrylate functionality, yielding various homopolymers, block copolymers and star polymers of well-defined structure. Although not polymerizable to high conversion by GTP, 1–2 units of di(n-butyl) itaconate could consistently be added to living GTP polymethacrylates, allowing their efficient end-functionalization. Similar observations were also made with diethyl maleate and diethyl fumarate. In contrast, the diethyl ester of the lower homologue of itaconic acid, methylene malonic acid, would spontaneously polymerize, probably via a mechanism of anionic polymerization initiated by moisture.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.