Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Well‐Defined End‐Functional Macrophotoinitiator of Poly(MMA) by ATRP

Abstract

A new monofunctional atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator was synthesized by the condensation of 2‐bromopropanoyl bromide with 1‐hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone (HCPK), Irgacure 184 and characterized. The ATRP of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in dry toluene at 90°C by means of this initiator in conjunction with a cuprous complex Cu(I)Cl/bipyridine (bpy) yields poly(MMA) with a photoactive alkoxy phenyl ketone end group. The gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and IR, H‐NMR, UV, and fluorescence spectroscopic studies revealed that low‐polydispersity poly(MMA) with photoinitiator functionality at the end of the chain was obtained. The obtained end‐functional PMMA macrophotoinitiator was used in photoinduced free radical polymerization of styrene (St) to produce PMMA‐b‐PSt upon irradiation via α‐cleavage of the incorporated phenyl ketone end group. This block copolymer was characterized by GPC and H‐NMR measurements.