Issue 31, 2015

Organo-photocatalysts for photoinduced electron transfer-reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (PET-RAFT) polymerization

Abstract

In this article, we are investigating a series of organo-dyes, including methylene blue, fluorescein, rhodamine 6G, Nile red and eosin Y, to perform a visible light-mediated controlled/“living” radical polymerization of methacrylates. We demonstrate that eosin Y and fluorescein were efficient catalysts to activate a photoinduced electron transfer-reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (PET-RAFT) mechanism. The concentration of eosin Y was varied from 10 to 100 ppm with respect to monomers. This polymerization technique yielded well-defined (co)polymers with a good control of the molecular weights ranging from 10 000 to 100 000 g mol−1 and low polydispersities (PDI < 1.30). A variety of functional monomers, including N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate, pentafluorophenyl methacrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, oligoethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA), and methacrylic acid, were successfully polymerized. Finally, the addition of a tertiary amine, such as triethylamine, afforded the polymerization in the presence of air via a reductive quenching cycle. Different diblock polymethacrylate copolymers, i.e. PMMA-b-POEGMA and PMMA-b-PMMA, were prepared to demonstrate the high end group fidelity.

Graphical abstract: Organo-photocatalysts for photoinduced electron transfer-reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (PET-RAFT) polymerization

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 Sep 2014
Accepted
04 Nov 2014
First published
04 Nov 2014

Polym. Chem., 2015,6, 5615-5624

Organo-photocatalysts for photoinduced electron transfer-reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (PET-RAFT) polymerization

J. Xu, S. Shanmugam, H. T. Duong and C. Boyer, Polym. Chem., 2015, 6, 5615 DOI: 10.1039/C4PY01317D

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