Synthesis of well-defined polychlorostyrenes by living radical polymerization with 4-methoxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl

Radical polymerization of 2-, 3-, and 4-chlorostyrenes (ClSts) was investigated with benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as an initiator, in the presence of 4-methoxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (MTEMPO). The polymerization was performed in bulk for 3.5 h at 95°C and then continued for a defined time at 125°C to give the corresponding poly(ClSt)s with narrow polydispersity in high yield. It was found that the polymerization proceeded in accordance with a living mechanism in all cases, because the molecular weight of the resulting polymers was proportional to the conversion, and inversely proportional to the initial concentration of MTEMPO. Furthermore, the polymers obtained from 2- and 3-ClSts quantitatively act as initiators for the polymerization in the living radical manner, of styrene to give the corresponding block copolymers, except for poly(4-ClSt). The thermal stability of the living poly(ClSt)s was found to decrease in the order of 2- > 3- > 4-ClSt on the basis of the results of their postpolymerizations. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2371–2378, 1997