Synthesis and Characterization of Block Copolymers of P(MMA‐b‐n‐BA‐b‐MMA) via Ambient Temperature ATRP of MMA

Abstract

A binol ester initiator was used as a bifunctional ATRP initiator in combination with PMDETA/copper bromide catalyst system in DMF to synthesize n‐butyl acrylate macroinitiator at 50°C. The resulting macroinitiator was used for a detailed investigation of the ATRP of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with CuCl/N,N,N′,N′,N″‐pentamethyldiethy‐lenetriamine (PMDETA) catalyst system in anisole at 30°C. Thus, the MMA polymerization is shown to proceed with first order kinetics, with predicted molecular weight and narrow polydispersity indices. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and NMR were used for the characterization of the polymers synthesized.