RAFT homopolymerization of vinylbenzyl chloride with benzyl ethyl trithiocarbonate and synthesis of block copolymers from poly(VBC) macro-RAFT agent and N-isopropylacrylamide

Abstract

Poly(vinylbenzyl chloride) (PVBC) with controlled molecular weight and polydispersity was obtained by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerizations of vinylbenzyl chloride using benzyl ethyl trithiocarbonate as the RAFT agent. Furthermore, amphiphilic AB diblock copolymers PVBC-b-PNIPAMs could be successfully prepared by RAFT polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) by using PVBC macro-RAFT agent.