Summary: The debate on the mechanism of dithiobenzoate‐mediated RAFT polymerization may be resolved by including the reaction between a propagating radical and the star‐shaped combination product from irreversible termination into the kinetic scheme. By this step, a highly reactive propagating radical and a not overly stable three‐arm star species are transformed into the resonance‐stabilized RAFT intermediate radical and a very stable polymer molecule. The time evolution of concentrations is discussed for the main‐equilibrium range of CDB‐mediated methyl acrylate polymerization.
Illustration of the novel understanding of the RAFT mechanism in dithiobenzoate‐mediated RAFT polymerization.
