| Abstract: | A fast living radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) proceeded with the (MMA)2? Cl/Ru(Ind)Cl(PPh3)2 initiating system in the presence of n‐Bu2NH as an additive where (MMA)2? Cl is dimethyl 2‐chloro‐2,4,4‐trimethyl glutarate]. The polymerization reached 94% conversion in 5 h to give polymers with controlled number‐average molecular weights (Mn's) in direct proportion to the monomer conversion and narrow molecular weight distributions MWDs; weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight (Mw/Mn) ≤ 1.2]. A poly(methyl methacrylate) with a high molecular weight (Mn ～ 105) and narrow MWD (Mw/Mn ≤ 1.2) was obtained with the system within 10 h. A similarly fast but slightly slower living radical polymerization was possible with n‐Bu3N, whereas n‐BuNH2 resulted in a very fast (93% conversion in 2.5 h) and uncontrolled polymerization. These added amines increased the catalytic activity through some interaction such as coordination to the ruthenium center. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 617–623, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10148 |
