Photons and photocatalysts as limiting reagents for PET-RAFT photopolymerization

Abstract

The kinetics of photoinduced electron/energy transfer - reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (PET-RAFT) polymerization were investigated using a model system of methyl acrylate (MA) in the presence of trithiocarbonate chain transfer agents and tris(2-phenylpyridine)iridium(III) (Ir(ppy)3) as the photocatalyst. A powerful polymerization through oxygen approach was developed. Efficient PET-RAFT occurred under blue, violet, and green light with catalyst loadings of 10 ppm. Minimal polymerization was observed under orange or red light. Kinetic scaling analysis was developed to evaluate the impact of light intensity, catalyst loading and geometry of both the light source and the reaction vessel. A universal scaling law was developed for Ir(ppy)3 and other energy transfer catalyzed PET-RAFT, allowing both polymerization through oxygen and deoxygenated systems from the literature to be described across a range of light intensities, reaction conditions and geometries. Finally, the scaling analysis indicates that PET-RAFT systems should be subject to less retardation than conventional RAFT systems, due to the chain transfer agent being involved in radical generation steps.