Issue 2, 2015

Utilizing the electron transfer mechanism of chlorophyll a under light for controlled radical polymerization

Abstract

Efficient photoredox catalysts containing transition metals, such as iridium and ruthenium, to initiate organic reactions and polymerization under visible light have recently emerged. However, these catalysts are composed of rare metals, which limit their applications. In this study, we report an efficient photoinduced living radical polymerization process that involves the use of chlorophyll as the photoredox biocatalyst. We demonstrate that chlorophyll a (the most abundant chlorophyll in plants) can activate a photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process that initiates a reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization under blue and red LED light (λmax = 461 and 635 nm, respectively). This process controls a wide range of functional and non-functional monomers, and offers excellent control over molecular weights and polydispersities. The end group fidelity was demonstrated by NMR, UV-vis spectroscopy, and successful chain extensions for the preparation of diblock copolymers.

Graphical abstract: Utilizing the electron transfer mechanism of chlorophyll a under light for controlled radical polymerization

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
31 Oct 2014
Accepted
27 Nov 2014
First published
27 Nov 2014
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2015,6, 1341-1349

Utilizing the electron transfer mechanism of chlorophyll a under light for controlled radical polymerization

S. Shanmugam, J. Xu and C. Boyer, Chem. Sci., 2015, 6, 1341 DOI: 10.1039/C4SC03342F

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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