Toward Ultimate Control of Radical Polymerization: Functionalized Metal–Organic Frameworks as a Robust Environment for Metal-Catalyzed Polymerizations

Abstract

Herein, an approach via combination of confined porous textures and reversible deactivation radical polymerization techniques is proposed to advance synthetic polymer chemistry, i.e., a connection of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET ATRP). Zn2(benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate)2(1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane) [Zn2(bdc)2(dabco)] is utilized as a reaction environment for polymerization of various methacrylate monomers (methyl, ethyl, benzyl, and isobornyl methacrylate) in a confined nanochannel, resulting in polymers with control over dispersity, end functionalities, and tacticity with respect to distinct molecular size. To refine and reconsolidate the compartmentation effect on polymer regularity, initiator-functionalized Zn MOF was synthesized via cocrystallization with an initiator-functionalized ligand, 2-(2-bromo-2-methylpropanamido)-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (Brbdc), in different ratios (10%, 20%, and 50%). Through the e...