Iron‐catalyzed living radical polymerization of acrylates: Iodide‐based initiating systems and block and random copolymerizations

Abstract

AbstractA half‐metallocene iron iodide complex [Fe(Cp)I(CO)2] induced living radical polymerization of methyl acrylate (MA) in conjunction with an iodide initiator [(CH3)2C(CO2Et)I, 1] and Al(Oi‐Pr)3 to give polymers of controlled molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions (MWDs) (Mw/Mn < 1.2). With the use of chloride and bromide initiators, the MWDs were broader, whereas the molecular weights were similarly controlled. Other acrylates such as n‐butyl acrylate (nBA) and tert‐butyl acrylate (tBA) can be polymerized with 1/Fe(Cp)I(CO)2 in the presence of Ti(Oi‐Pr)4 and Al(Oi‐Pr)3, respectively, to give living polymers. The 1/Fe(Cp)I(CO)2 initiating system is applicable for the synthesis of block and random copolymers of acrylates (MA, nBA, and tBA) and styrene of controlled molecular weights and narrow MWDs (Mw/Mn = 1.2–1.3). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2033–2043, 2002