Polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate in the presence of 2,2-diethyl-4,5,5-trimethyl-2,5-dihydroimidazol-1-oxyl

Abstract

The polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate in the presence of 2,2-diethyl-4,5,5-trimethyl- 2,5-dihydroimidazol-1-oxyl has been studied. It has been demonstrated that the nitroxyl radical makes it possible to control chain propagation in the polymerization of styrene and to synthesize polymers with relatively low polydispersity coefficients (<1.4). The polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the controlled mode cannot be performed because of the occurrence of a side reaction related to hydrogen atom transfer.