Kinetic study of the nitroxide‐mediated controlled free‐radical polymerization of n‐butyl acrylate in aqueous miniemulsions

The controlled free‐radical homopolymerization of n‐butyl acrylate was studied in aqueous miniemulsions at 112 and 125 °C with a low molar mass alkoxyamine unimolecular initiator and an acyclic β‐phosphonylated nitroxide mediator, N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐(1‐diethylphosphono‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl) nitroxide, also called SG1. The polymerizations led to stable latices with 20 wt % solids and were obtained with neither coagulation during synthesis nor destabilization over time. However, in contrast to latices obtained via classical free‐radical polymerization, the average particle size of the final latices was large, with broad particle size distributions. The initial [SG1]₀/[alkoxyamine]₀ molar ratio was shown to control the rate of polymerization. The fraction of SG1 released upon macroradical self‐termination was small with respect to the initial alkoxyamine concentration, indicating a very low fraction of dead chains. Average molar masses were controlled by the initial concentration of alkoxyamine and increased linearly with monomer conversion. The molar mass distribution was narrow, depending on the initial concentration of free nitroxide in the system. The initiator efficiency was lower than 1 at 112 °C but was very significantly improved when either a macroinitiator was used at 112 °C or the polymerization temperature was raised to 125 °C. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 4410–4420, 2002     

End‐Group Characterization of Poly(acrylic acid) Prepared by Nitroxide‐Mediated Controlled Free‐Radical Polymerization

Summary: A low‐molar‐mass poly(acrylic acid) with a narrow molar‐mass distribution, prepared by SG1 nitroxide‐mediated controlled free‐radical polymerization, was subjected to end‐group analysis to confirm its living nature. ¹H and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of the SG1‐based alkoxyamine end group. Furthermore, chain extension with styrene and n‐butyl acrylate demonstrated the ability of the homopolymer to initiate the polymerization of a second block. These results open the door to the synthesis of poly(acrylic acid)‐based block copolymers by direct nitroxide‐mediated polymerization of acrylic acid.

Acrylic acid polymerization using an alkoxyamine initiator based on SG1 (N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐(1‐diethyl phosphono‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl) nitroxide resulting in a homopolymer capable of initiating the polymerization of a second block.     

β‐Hydrogen transfer from poly(methyl methacrylate) propagating radicals to the nitroxide SG1: Analysis of the chain‐end and determination of the rate constant

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was polymerized in bulk at 70 °C in the presence of an alkoxyamine initiator with low dissociation temperature (the so‐called BlocBuilder?) and increasing amounts of free N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐(1‐diethylphosphono‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl) nitroxide (SG1). Low final monomer conversions were reached, indicating a loss in radical activity due to side reactions such as irreversible homoterminations between the propagating radicals and β‐hydrogen transfer (also called disproportionation) from a propagating radical to a free‐SG1 nitroxide. Proton NMR and MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry were used to analyze the polymer chain‐ends and to clearly identify the main mechanism of irreversible termination. In particular, it was shown that all polymer chains were terminated by an alkene function in the presence of a large excess of free SG1, meaning that β‐hydrogen transfer from PMMA propagating radicals to the nitroxide SG1 was the major chain‐stopping event. On the other hand, for a low excess of free SG1, the two termination modes coexisted. Kinetic modeling was then performed using the PREDICI software, and the rate constant of β‐hydrogen transfer, k_βHtr, was estimated to be 1.69 × 10³ L mol^?1 s^?1 at 70 °C. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 6333–6345, 2008     

Filler effect on properties of “All‐Acrylic” copolymer/clay elastomeric materials synthesized by “in situ” nitroxide mediated polymerization

In this work, we describe the “in situ” synthesis of “all‐acrylic” copolymer (n‐butyl acrylate‐co‐methyl methacrylate)/clay materials at different low contents of raw and modified Montmorillonite (1–4 wt % versus monomer). The cationic 2,2′ azobis‐(amidinopropane)dihydrochloride initiator was used to modified the clay by cation exchange in combination with the N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐[1‐diethylphosphono‐(2,2‐dimethylpropyl)] (SG1) nitroxide to synthesize the polymer/clay nanocomposite via nitroxide mediated controlled radical polymerization. All synthesized materials are characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance, size exclusion chromatography, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry techniques. The thermo‐mechanical properties of the synthesized materials are also reported. The results show that a decrease in molar masses and/or slight changes in molar compositions of poly (n‐butyl acrylate‐ co‐methyl methacrylate)/clay systems can be balanced by clay loading in polymer matrix, and consequently compensated or masked clay effects on physical properties of obtained materials. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Pyrrolidone‐functional smart polymers via nitroxide‐mediated polymerization

Nitroxide‐mediated polymerization (NMP) of N‐(2‐methacryloyloxyethyl) pyrrolidone (MAEPYR) with 2‐([tert‐butyl[1‐(diethoxyphosphoryl)‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl]amino]oxy)‐2‐methylpropanoic acid (BlocBuilder) initiator and N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐[1‐diethylphosphono‐(2,2‐dimethylpropyl)] (SG1) nitroxide permitted controlled synthesis of poly(N‐(2‐methacryloyloxyethyl)‐pyrrolidone‐stat‐9‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)‐9H‐carbazole) (poly(MAEPYR‐stat‐VBK)) statistical copolymers. With at least 5 mol % VBK, the dispersity ? of the copolymers was below 1.4 at conversions less than 50%. At conversions higher than 50%, and at lower VBK feed content, there was a significant amount of termination reactions, which broadened the molecular weight distribution of the final polymers (? = 1.4–2.3). The MAEPYR‐rich statistical copolymers were subsequently tested for thermoresponsive behavior in aqueous media. The cloud point temperatures (CPTs) in aqueous solution were tuned by changing the VBK composition, solution concentration, and heating rate, and the transitions were thermally reversible with partial loss of reversibility at higher heating rates. The CPT decreased from 59.0 to 49.7 °C with addition of only 1 mol % of VBK in the copolymer, and at more than 6 mol % VBK, the copolymer was water insoluble. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 2011–2024     

Influence of nitroxide structure on polystyrene brushes “grafted‐from” silicon wafers

Alkoxyamine derivatives based on 2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy (TEMPO), N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐(1‐diethylphosphono‐(2,2‐dimethylpropyl)) nitroxide (SG1) and N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐(2‐methyl‐1‐phenylpropyl) nitroxide (TIPNO) containing a C₁₁ hydrophobic spacer and a reactive triethoxysilyl polar head, were synthesized and anchored to silicon wafers by the Langmuir–Blodgett reactive deposition technique at surface pressures ranging from 15 to 32 mN/m. Polystyrene brushes (M_n ～ 8500–66,400 g/mol) were grown from the alkoxyamine functionalized silicon wafers by nitroxide mediated radical polymerization and characterized by ellipsometry and water contact angle measurements. The main parameters influencing the grafting density and the degree of stretching of the brushes are the nitroxide polarity and, therefore, the behavior of the corresponding alkoxyamines at the air/water interface of the Langmuir–Blodgett trough. Depending on the alkoxyamine chemical structure and the surface pressure during Langmuir–Blodgett deposition, polystyrene brushes with grafting densities of 0.3–1.0 chains/nm² and stretching values of 40–70% were obtained. Regarding alkoxyamines deposited at high surface pressures, size exclusion chromatography experiments performed on both cleaved polystyrene brushes and chains simultaneously grown in the bulk revealed that the polymerization degree of the bulk and surface chains are significantly different, suggesting that steric constrains affect the polymerization kinetics occurring at the silicon surface. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 3367–3374, 2008     

Micellar behavior of well‐defined polystyrene‐based block copolymers with triethoxysilyl reactive groups and their hydrolysis–condensation

Block copolymers of acryloxy propyl triethoxysilane and styrene were prepared through nitroxide‐mediated polymerization using alkoxyamine initiators based on N‐tert‐butyl‐1‐diethylphosphono‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl nitroxide. The copolymers were characterized by ¹H NMR, size exclusion chromatography and differential scanning calorimetry. Their micellar behavior in dioxane/methanol solutions was examined through static light scattering and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM indicated the successful formation of spherical micelles which were subsequently frozen by the sol–gel process. Hydrolysis–condensation of the reactive ethoxysilyl side groups was followed by FTIR, ¹H NMR, and ²⁹Si NMR. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 784–793, 2010     

H‐transfer reaction during decomposition of N‐(2‐methylpropyl)‐ N‐(1‐diethylphosphono‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl)‐N‐oxyl (SG1)‐based alkoxyamines

Thermal decomposition of four tertiary N‐(2‐methylpropyl)‐N‐(1‐diethylphosphono‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl)‐N‐oxyl (SG1)‐based alkoxyamines (SG1‐C(Me)₂‐C(O)‐OR, R = Me, tBu, Et, H) has been studied at different experimental conditions using ¹H and ³¹P NMR spectroscopies. This experiment represents the initiating step of methyl methacrylate polymerization. It has been shown that H‐transfer reaction occurs during the decomposition of three alkoxyamines in highly degassed solution, whereas no products of H‐transfer are detected during decomposition of SG1‐MAMA alkoxyamine. The value of the rate constant of H‐transfer for alkoxyamines 1 (SG1‐C(Me)₂‐C(O)‐OMe) and 2 ( SG1‐C(Me)₂‐C(O)‐OtBu) has been estimated as 1.7 × 10³ M^?1s^?1. The high influence of oxygen on decomposition mechanism is found. In particular, in poorly degassed solutions, nearly quantitative formation of oxidation product has been observed, whereas at residual pressure of 10^?5 mbar, the main products originate from H‐atom transfer reaction. The acidity of the reaction medium affects the decomposition mechanism suppressing the H‐atom transfer. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Nitroxide‐Mediated Radical Polymerization in Microemulsion

Nitroxide‐mediated polymerizations of styrene in microemulsion have been carried out at 125 °C using the cationic surfactant tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide and the nitroxides 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidinyl‐1‐oxy (TEMPO) and N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐[1‐diethylphosphono‐(2,2‐dimethylpropyl)] nitroxide (SG1). TEMPO‐mediated polymerizations were extremely slow, with large particles (d_n = 39–129 nm) and broad molecular weight distributions (MWDs). The origin of the broad MWDs was likely significant alkoxyamine decomposition and differing diffusion rates of monomer and low MW alkoxyamines (and nitroxide) between monomer‐swollen micelles and polymer particles. SG1‐mediated polymerizations proceeded at higher rates, resulting in nanoparticles (d_n = 21–37 nm) and lower than for TEMPO.

     

Nitroxide‐mediated free‐radical copolymerization of styrene with butyl acrylate

Controlled free‐radical copolymerization of styrene (S) and butyl acrylate (BA) was achieved by using a second‐generation nitroxide, N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐[1‐diethylphosphono‐(2,2‐dimethylpropyl)] nitroxide (DEPN), and 2,2‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) at 120 °C. The time‐conversion first‐order plot was linear, and the number‐average molecular weight increased in direct proportion to the ratio of monomer conversion to the initial concentration, providing copolymers with low polydispersity. The monomer reactivity ratios obtained were r_S = 0.74 and r_BA = 0.29, respectively. To analyze the convenience of applying the Mayo–Lewis terminal model, the cumulative copolymer composition against conversion and the individual conversion of each monomer as a function of copolymerization time were studied. The theoretical values of the propagating radical concentration ratio were also examined to investigate the copolymerization rate behavior. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4168–4176, 2004     

A bidirectional ATRP‐NMRP initiator: The effect of nitroxide size on the rate of nitroxide‐mediated polymerization

An N‐alkoxyamine macroinitiator bearing a polymeric nitroxide cap was synthesized and used to investigate the effect of nitroxide size on the rate of nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization (NMRP). This macroinitiator was prepared from asymmetric double‐headed initiator 9 , which contains both an α‐bromoester and an N‐alkoxyamine functionality. Poly(methyl methacrylate) was grown by atom transfer radical polymerization from the α‐bromoester end of this initiator, resulting in a macroinitiator (M_n = 31,000; PDI = 1.34) bearing a nitroxide cap permanently attached to a polymer chain. The polymerization kinetics of this macroinitiator in NMRP were compared with known N‐alkoxyamine initiator 1 . It was found that the rate of polymerization was unaffected by the size of the macromolecular nitroxide cap. It was confirmed that NMRP using this macroinitiator is a “living” process. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 2015–2025, 2007     

Nitroxide‐Mediated Radical Dispersion Polymerization of Styrene in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Using a Poly(dimethylsiloxane‐block‐styrene) Alkoxyamine as Initiator and Stabilizer

Summary: Nitroxide‐mediated dispersion polymerization of styrene in supercritical carbon dioxide has been performed successfully at 110 °C using a new polymeric so‐called inistab species, which fulfils the dual functions of an initiator and a colloidal stabilizer. The inistab species comprised a poly(dimethylsiloxane) block and a polystyrene block end‐capped with the nitroxide N‐tert‐N‐butyl‐N‐[1‐diethylphosphono‐(2,2‐dimethylpropyl)] nitroxide (SG1). The dispersion polymerization resulted in sub‐micron sized polymer particles and polymers of narrow polydispersity.

TEM micrograph of PS particles prepared in the dispersion polymerization of S in scCO₂ in the presence of PDMS(\overline M _{\rm n} = 6 500)‐b‐PS(\overline M _{\rm n} = 4 500)‐SG1 at 110 °C.     

Catalyzed chain growth of polyethylene on magnesium for the synthesis of macroalkoxyamines: Application to the production of block copolymers using controlled radical polymerization

A synthetic method for the production of polyethylene (PE) chains carrying alkoxyamine end‐group has been proposed first by successfully reacting the well‐known 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐N‐oxyl (TEMPO) and N‐(2‐methyl‐2‐propyl)‐N‐(1‐diethylphosphono‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl)‐N‐oxyl (commonly called SG1) stable radicals with dipolyethylenylmagnesium compounds to give PE‐TEMPO and PE‐SG1. Since the homolytic cleavage of these two macroalkoxyamines for the production of block copolymers using controlled radical polymerization would require temperatures higher than 160 °C, two original new nitroxides (4‐[(2,2‐dimethyl‐4‐(N‐tert‐Butyl‐N‐(1‐diethoxyphosphoryl‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl)aminoxy)‐4‐n‐butoxycarbonyl)butanoyloxyl]‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidinyl‐1‐oxy, DD1) and 4‐[(2,2‐dimethyl‐4‐(N‐tert‐Butyl‐N‐(1‐diethoxyphosphoryl‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl)aminoxy)‐4‐phenyl) butanoyloxyl]‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidinyl‐1‐oxy, DD2) containing a TEMPO moiety and incorporating an SG1‐based alkoxyamine (cleavage temperature: 60 °C) were then synthesized. NMR analyses showed that the resulting PE‐DD1 and PE‐DD2 were obtained using this functionalization strategy though with low to moderate yields (from 17% to 40%). PE‐DD2 (40% functionalization) was used under controlled radical polymerization conditions of n‐butyl acrylate. SEC analyses together with ¹H NMR analysis showed that a poly(ethylene‐b‐n‐butyl acrylate) block copolymer was produced and that the polymerization proceeded under control. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 2705–2718, 2007     

Nitroxide‐mediated controlled statistical copolymerizations of N‐isopropylacrylamide with N‐tert‐butylacrylamide

The copolymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and N‐tert‐butylacrylamide (TBAM) via conventional radical polymerization and nitroxide‐mediated polymerization (NMP) with N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐[1‐diethylphosphono‐(2,2‐dimethylpropyl)]nitroxide (SG1) was investigated. The monomer reactivity ratios were determined to be 0.58 and 1.00 for NIPAM and TBAM, respectively. The reactivities were approximately the same at 120 and 60 °C in N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) and toluene, respectively, for the conventional copolymerizations and in DMF at 120 °C for NMP. Controlled/living characteristics for NMP were achieved with a 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile/SG1 bimolecular system and a unimolecular polystyrene [poly(STY)]–SG1 macroinitiator in the presence of excess free SG1. Block copolymers of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐stat‐N‐tert‐butylacrylamide) [poly(NIPAM‐stat‐TBAM)] with styrene {poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐stat‐N‐tert‐butylacrylamide)‐block‐polystyrene [poly(NIPAM‐stat‐TBAM)‐block‐poly(STY)]} were obtained by chain extension of either poly(NIPAM‐stat‐TBAM)–SG1 with styrene or poly(STY)–SG1 with NIPAM/TBAM. A comparison of the number‐average molecular weight calculated from the end‐group content with the number‐average molecular weight measured by gel permeation chromatography for poly(NIPAM‐stat‐TBAM)‐block‐poly(STY)–SG1 indicated that nearly all poly(NIPAM‐stat‐TBAM) chains were capped by SG1 and were thus living. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6410–6418, 2006     

Synthesis of a series of SG1 2‐[N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐(1‐diethoxyphosphoryl‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl)aminoxyl] based alkoxyamines,SG1‐CH(Me)CO2R,and measurement of the homolysis rate constants of the C?ON bond

During nitroxide‐mediated polymerization, the polymerization time decreases with an increasing rate constant of the cleavage of the NO? C bond of dormant alkoxyamines. Thus, knowledge of the factors influencing this cleavage is of considerable interest. We have prepared a series of SG1 2‐[N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐(1‐diethoxyphosphoryl‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl)aminoxyl] based alkoxyamines [SG1‐CH(Me)CO₂R] with various R groups (alkyl or aryl) and measured the homolysis rate constants (k_d). k_d decreases with the bulkiness and increases with the polarity of the R group. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3504–3515, 2004     

A minimal amount of acrylonitrile turns the nitroxide‐mediated polymerization of methyl methacrylate into an almost ideal controlled/living system

Nitroxide‐mediated controlled/living free‐radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by the SG1‐based alkoxyamine BlocBuilder was successfully performed in bulk at 80–99 °C with the help of a very small amount of acrylonitrile (AN, 2.2–8.8 mol %) as a comonomer. Well‐defined PMMA‐rich P(MMA‐co‐AN) copolymers were prepared with the number‐average molar mass, M_n, in the 6.1–32 kg mol^?1 range and polydispersity indexes as low as 1.24. Incorporation of AN in the copolymers was demonstrated by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, and its effect on the chain thermal properties was evaluated by DSC and TGA analyses. Investigation of chain‐end functionalization by an alkoxyamine group was performed by means of ³¹P NMR spectroscopy and chain extensions from a P(MMA‐co‐AN)‐SG1 macroinitiator. It demonstrated the very high proportion of SG1‐terminated polymer chains, which opened the door to block copolymer synthesis with a high quality of control. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 34–47, 2010     

“Smart” poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate‐ran‐9‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)‐9H‐carbazole) copolymers synthesized by nitroxide mediated radical polymerization

A series of poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate‐ran‐9‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)‐9H‐carbazole) (poly(DMAEMA‐ran‐VBK)) random copolymers, with VBK molar feed compositions f_VBK,0 = 0.02–0.09, were synthesized using 10 mol % [tert‐butyl[1‐(diethoxyphosphoryl)‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl]amino] nitroxide (SG1) relative to 2‐([tert‐butyl[1‐(diethoxyphosphoryl)‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl]amino]oxy)‐2‐methylpropionic acid (BlocBuilder) at 80 °C and 90 °C. Controlled polymerizations were observed, even with f_VBK,0 = 0.02, as reflected by a linear increase in number average molecular weight (M_n) versus conversion X ≤ 0.6 with final copolymers characterized by relatively narrow, monomodal molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n ≈ 1.5). Poly(DMAEMA‐ran‐VBK) copolymers were deemed sufficiently pseudo‐“living” to reinitiate a second batch of N,N‐dimethylacrylamide (DMAA), with very few apparent dead chains, as indicated by the monomodal shift in the gel permeation chromatography chromatograms. Poly(DMAEMA‐ran‐VBK) random copolymers exhibited tuneable lower critical solution temperature (LCST), in aqueous solution, by modifying copolymer composition, solution pH and by the addition of the water‐soluble poly(DMAA) segment. ¹H NMR analysis determined that, in water, the VBK units of the poly(DMAEMA‐ran‐VBK) random copolymer were segregated to the interior of the copolymer aggregate regardless of solution temperature and that poly(DMAEMA‐ran‐VBK)‐b‐poly(DMAA) block copolymers formed micelles above the LCST. In addition, the final random copolymer and block copolymer exhibited temperature dependent fluorescence due to the VBK units. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Nitroxide‐mediated radical copolymerization of methyl methacrylate controlled with a minimal amount of 9‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)‐9H‐carbazole

The controlled nitroxide‐mediated homopolymerization of 9‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)‐9H‐carbazole (VBK) and the copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with varying amounts of VBK were accomplished by using 10 mol % {tert‐butyl[1‐(diethoxyphosphoryl)‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl]amino} nitroxide relative to 2‐({tert‐butyl[1‐(diethoxyphosphoryl)‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl]amino}oxy)‐2‐methylpropionic acid (BlocBuilder?) in dimethylformamide at temperatures from 80 to 125 °C. As little as 1 mol % of VBK in the feed was required to obtain a controlled copolymerization of an MMA/VBK mixture, resulting in a linear increase in molecular weight versus conversion with a narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w /M_n ≈ 1.3). Preferential incorporation of VBK into the copolymer was indicated by the MMA/VBK reactivity ratios determined: r_VBK = 2.7 ± 1.5 and r_MMA = 0.24 ± 0.14. The copolymers were found significantly “living” by performing subsequent chain extensions with a fresh batch of VBK and by ³¹P NMR spectroscopy analysis. VBK was found to be an effective controlling comonomer for NMP of MMA, and such low levels of VBK comonomer ensured transparency in the final copolymer. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization of 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl acrylate and its sequential block copolymerization with styrene and N‐butyl acrylate

Nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization (NMRP) of 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl acrylate (DMAEA) was carried out at 100–120 °C, initiated by MONAMS, an alkoxyamine based on N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐(1‐diethyl phosphono‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl)nitroxide, SG1. Controlled polymerization can be achieved by the addition of free SG1 (the initial molar ratio of SG1 to MONAMS ranged from 0.06 to 0.12), giving a linear first‐order kinetic plot up to 55–70% conversion depending on the reaction conditions. The molecular weights show a near linear increase with conversion; however, they deviate to some extent with theoretical values. SG1‐mediated polymerization of DMAEA at 112 °C is also controlled in organic solvents (N,N‐dimethylformide, anisole, xylene). Polymerization rate increases with increasing solvent polarity. Chain transfer to polymer produces ～1 mol % branches in bulk and 1.2–1.9 mol % in organic solvents, typical of those for acrylates. From poly(styrene) (pS) and poly(n‐butyl acrylate) (pBA) macroinitiators, amphiphilic di‐ and triblock copolymers p(S‐b‐DMAEA), p(DMAEA‐b‐S‐b‐DMAEA), p(BA‐b‐DMAEA), and p(DMAEA‐b‐BA‐b‐DMAEA) were synthesized via NMRP at 110 °C. Polymers were characterized by GPC, NMR, surface tension measurements, and DSC. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 414–426, 2006     

Optimization of the nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization conditions for styrene and tert‐butyl acrylate in an automated parallel synthesizer

Automated parallel synthesizers provide fast and comparable screening of different polymerization parameters under similar conditions. In addition, these robotic systems eliminate handling errors, which may affect the results of a kinetic experiment more than the effect of an important parameter. The polymerization temperature and N,N‐tert‐butyl‐N‐[1′‐diethylphosphono‐2,2′‐dimethylpropyl]nitroxide concentration were optimized for the homopolymerization of both styrene and tert‐butyl acrylate to improve the control over the polymerization while reasonable polymerization rates were retained. Subsequently, polystyrene and poly(tert‐butyl acrylate) macro initiators were synthesized according to the knowledge obtained from the screening results. These macroinitiators were used for the preparation of block copolymers consisting of styrene and tert‐butyl acrylate. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6202–6213, 2006